Electric v petrol

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wildcamper

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Joined
Jan 14, 2024
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I'm based in the UK and have a 2017 model of the BMW i3, 94aH battery (60,000 miles).
I'm looking at the cost of my BMW fuel consumption compared with our other family vehicle, which is a 1.5 litre SkyActiv Mazda 2, 2016 model with 40,000 miles on the clock.
The BMW consumption is about 14kWh/100km and the Mazda about 52 mpg, which covers to approx 5.5 litres/100km.
We currently pay about £1.50/litre for petrol and public charging for electric is about 80p/kWh.
Therefore comparative costs per 100km are -
BMW = 14 x £0.8 = £11.20
Mazda = 5.5 x £1.50 = £8.25
As prices for electricity have rocketed since the war started in Ukraine, I am not surprised by this result.
I don't think other running costs for an ICE vehicle would make up for this 25% higher fuel economy cost, so this is a clear disincentive, from my point of view, to owning an electric vehicle.
Does anybody else have any other evidence of comparisons between the fuel running costs for electric v ICE vehicle?
 
USA-based (Chicagoland area). Charging at home. When people ask "How much did your electric bill go up?" or "How much does it cost?" The easiest answer I have found is that I can go 100 miles for about $4.

How far anyone can go with an ICE vehicle depends on their milage and the cost of gasoline in their area.
 
From a UK-based perspective, I would not disagree with your conclusions. Owning an EV doesn't really make economic sense unless you have access to sensibly priced charging, either at home or at work. All of my charging is done at home, and the cost (overnight) is 7.5p/kWh - as you can imagine, this completely transforms the financial case.

Having said that, you should be able to do a lot better than 80p/kWh - either by subscribing to one of the charging networks, or by using Tesla's charge points, where they have been opened up to wider use. IIRC their rates for rapid charging are a ~lot~ less than 80p/kWh, though of course it depends on where you are in the country...
 
We're in the UK and nearly always charge overnight at home on "cheap rate" of 11p inc VAT per kWh ...
The car is averaging 4.8m/kWh so we're currently on a best of 2.3p/mile ... rising to about 4p/mile as a result of occasional daytime charging at 25p inc VAT, and a handful of motorway charges at 69p/kWh.
The REX gives 90 miles from 9 litres of petrol, so near enough 45mpg, or about 14p/mile.
Our 2.2litre Merc Viano semi auto diesel (so a very different animal, but ...) does 35mpg which is more like 20p/mile.
 
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