Petrol vs EV Running Costs - New Zealand
Compare running costs of an EV vs an internal combustion engine vehicle in New Zealand.
Use the EV running cost calculator to compare costs between a petrol, diesel, or hybrid vehicle, and an EV in New Zealand.
Select a common rate or enter your own
What will make an EV cheaper to run?
- Charge at home as much as possible. Some power providers have half-price overnight rates.
- Shop around for the best power company for you.
- Charge from solar.
What's day, night, and solar rates?
Time-of-use rates (offered by many power companies) are useful for EV owners (overnight charging).
Why is solar 6 cents? This includes an averaged installation cost measured over the lifetime of the panels.
What is universal RUC?
Universal RUC is a proposed change to New Zealand's Road User Charges (RUC) system.
All vehicle types (EV, Petrol, Diesel, etc) would be subject to RUC, and excise levy would be removed from petrol costs.
Is there much variation in efficiency between different EV models?
Yes, there can be significant differences in efficiency between different EV models. A large SUV could use up to 50% more recharged electricity than a smaller EV (sedan / hatchback).
Why is there no depreciation and insurance?
This calculator focuses on day-to-day running costs. Depreciation and insurance are highly changeable and are not necessarily correlated with a vehicles level of electrification.
- Vehicle depreciation can be brand and model-specific and varies greatly depending on market conditions.
- Insurance premiums are based on the driver risk, location, sum insured, vehicle performance and risk, and materials used.
How are maintenance and service costs calculated?
The vehicle's lifetime costs are applied at a per-kilometre rate (no specific adjustments per model). For example, the new tyres you need after 40,000 km might cost $1,000. If you drive 10,000 km per year, that's $250 / year for tyres.
Methodology and References
- EVDB has a database of WLTP consumption ratings for all EVs. This is the amount of recharged watt-hours used per kilometre of travel. Recharged means how much electricity is pulled from the grid (which takes into account charging losses. This allows a very accurate estimate of running cost. But, if you are driving a lot of open road driving, your consumption will be higher.
- Typical (average) EV cost estimate is based on the averaged WLTP consumption values of the five most popular EVs sold locally.
- Servicing Costs: Estimates are taken from research at the Argonne Lab Burnham, A., Gohlke, D., Rush, L., Stephens, T., Zhou, Y., Delucchi, M. A., ... & Boloor, M. (2021). Comprehensive total cost of ownership quantification for vehicles with different size classes and powertrains (No. ANL/ESD-21/4). Argonne National Lab.(ANL), Argonne, IL (United States).
- Excise duty and RUC: National Land Transport Fund (aka Petrol Excise Duty) - current rates. Difference between Petrol Excise Duty and RUC - Ministry of Transport
Learn more
How exactly does The WLTP measure recharged electric energy from the mains and apply it to the vehicle's range (Wh/km)?
