🔌 EV vs Petrol or Diesel
Would an EV actually save me money?
Electric cars cost less to fuel and more to buy. Whether that works out depends on three things: how far you drive, how much of your charging is at home, and what both cars are worth when you sell them.
Figures reviewed September 2026. Free, no signup, nothing stored on our servers.
What this means
The total cost includes depreciation on both sides, which is the part most comparisons leave out and the part most likely to decide the answer. A €6,000 price premium recovered at €900 a year in fuel savings takes seven years — unless the EV also loses more value, in which case it may never be recovered at all.
Home charging is the whole argument. At a home night rate an EV costs a fraction of petrol per kilometre. On public rapid chargers it can approach the cost of petrol. A household without a driveway is running a different calculation entirely, which is why the home-charging share is an input rather than an assumption.
Mileage decides the rest. The fuel saving is per kilometre, so a driver doing 30,000 kilometres a year recovers a price premium roughly twice as fast as one doing 15,000. Low annual mileage weakens the EV case considerably.
What affects the result
- Annual mileage. The fuel saving accrues per kilometre, so high mileage strengthens the EV case.
- The split between home and public charging, which can double the EV's effective fuel cost.
- The purchase price gap after any SEAI grant and VRT relief.
- Depreciation on both cars. Used EV values have moved faster than combustion cars in recent years.
- Motor tax — electric cars sit in the lowest CO2 band, which is a small but permanent advantage.
- Servicing. An EV has no oil changes, no timing belt and less brake wear because of regenerative braking.
Would an EV actually save me money?
The costs this does not include
Installing a home charger is a one-off cost with a grant available towards it, and it is not in the comparison. Neither is the value of avoiding forecourts, nor the inconvenience of a long journey requiring a charging stop. Those are real and they point in opposite directions.
Next steps
Once the choice is made, the finance comparison shows which way of paying costs least, and the true cost calculator gives the full annual figure for whichever car you end up with. If you are trading in, value the current car independently first.
Important assumptions
Every figure on this page rests on these. Where one does not match your situation, the answer moves — sometimes a great deal.
- Electric car motor tax is charged at the lowest CO2 band rate of €120 a year.
- Charging cost is blended between the home and public rates using the share you set.
- Depreciation is applied as a flat annual percentage to each car's purchase price. The defaults reflect how Irish used values have behaved, not a published figure.
- Grants and VRT relief are not calculated. Enter the EV price you would actually pay, after any relief.
- No allowance for the cost of installing a home charger, or for any grant towards one.
- Insurance, servicing and consumption figures are yours to set. Manufacturer consumption figures are optimistic on both sides.
Official sources
Where this tool applies a published rule, this is where the rule comes from. Check the source before acting on anything that matters.
- SEAI — electric vehicle grants
Current purchase grant amounts and the home charger grant, both of which change the purchase price you should enter.
- Revenue — VRT relief for electric vehicles
The VRT relief available on battery electric vehicles and the price cap it applies to.
- Motor Tax Online — rates
Official annual motor tax by CO2 band, including the lowest band that electric cars fall into.
- ESB ecars — public charging tariffs
Published public charging rates, for a realistic figure on the public charging side.
Common questions
Are electric cars cheaper to run in Ireland?
On fuel and motor tax, clearly — home charging costs a fraction of petrol per kilometre and the EV motor tax band is the lowest available. Whether the whole ownership is cheaper depends on the purchase price gap and on depreciation, both of which are entered above.
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in Ireland?
At a typical night-rate electricity price, a car using around 17 kWh per 100 kilometres costs a few euro per hundred kilometres — well under half what the equivalent petrol car burns. On public rapid chargers the cost per kilowatt-hour is two to three times higher, which narrows the gap sharply.
Do EVs hold their value in Ireland?
Used EV values have generally fallen faster than comparable petrol and diesel cars, as improving range and falling new prices reduced what older models are worth. Whether that continues is genuinely unknown, which is why the depreciation rates in this tool are editable rather than fixed.
What if I cannot charge at home?
Set the home charging share low and look at what happens. Relying on public charging removes most of the running-cost advantage, and for many households without a driveway the EV case is currently weak on cost alone.
Is diesel still cheaper for high mileage?
Against petrol, often — diesel consumption is lower per kilometre. Against an EV at high mileage, usually not, because the per-kilometre gap is wider still. Run all three by changing the fuel type above.
What to check next
What is my car actually costing me?
Depreciation, fuel, insurance, tax, servicing and tyres as one annual figure and a cost per kilometre.
Car True Cost CalculatorNewWhat is the cheapest way to pay for this car?
Three ways of buying the same car, compared on total cost rather than monthly payment.
PCP vs HP vs CashPopularIs this car worth the money?
An estimated Irish market value from make, model, year and mileage.
Car ValuationPopularAm I paying too much for electricity?
Compare Irish electricity and gas tariffs on net first-year cost, not headline rate.
Energy Switch ComparisonNext steps across CheckIreland
Picked for what you just worked out — not a list of everything we make.
- Full cost of whichever you chooseOnce the decision is made, this is the annual figure and the cost per kilometre.
- Charging from your own roofAn EV raises self-consumption, which is what makes solar pay back faster.
- Get a night rateHome charging on a night tariff is most of the EV running-cost advantage.
CheckIreland is independent and is not affiliated with the Irish Government or any public body. This tool is general information built on published rules and typical costs — it is not financial, tax or legal advice, and it does not account for your individual circumstances. Confirm anything that matters with the relevant body or a qualified adviser before acting on it.