* Electric car: The average price of a new electric car in the United States is $67,422, according to Kelley Blue Book. However, there are a number of affordable electric cars available, such as the Nissan Leaf, which starts at $28,995.
* Petrol car: The average price of a new petrol car in the United States is $48,247, according to Kelley Blue Book. There are a wider variety of petrol cars available at different price points, so you can find a petrol car that fits your budget.
Ongoing Costs
* Electric car: Electric cars are cheaper to operate than petrol cars, thanks to their lower fuel costs. The average cost of electricity to charge an electric car is $0.13 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). The average electric car uses about 30 kWh of electricity per 100 miles, so the cost of electricity to drive an electric car for 100 miles is about $3.90.
* Petrol car: The average cost of petrol in the United States is $3.32 per gallon. The average petrol car gets about 25 miles per gallon (mpg), so the cost of petrol to drive a petrol car for 100 miles is about $13.28.
Maintenance Costs
* Electric car: Electric cars require less maintenance than petrol cars, thanks to their simpler design. Electric cars do not have oil changes, spark plugs, or transmission fluid changes. The only major maintenance item for electric cars is the battery, which typically needs to be replaced every 10 years or so.
* Petrol car: Petrol cars require more maintenance than electric cars, thanks to their more complex design. Petrol cars need oil changes, spark plug changes, and transmission fluid changes on a regular basis. Petrol cars also have more moving parts, which means there are more opportunities for something to break.
Total Cost of Ownership
* Electric car: The total cost of ownership (TCO) of an electric car is lower than the TCO of a petrol car, thanks to the lower operating and maintenance costs. Over a 5-year period, the average TCO of an electric car is $32,600, while the average TCO of a petrol car is $40,700.
Summary
Electric cars are more expensive to purchase than petrol cars, but they are cheaper to operate and maintain. Over a 5-year period, the TCO of an electric car is lower than the TCO of a petrol car. If you are looking for a car that is environmentally friendly and cost-effective, an electric car is a great option.
