UK Motorists are Confused About EV Ownership: How Different are Electric Vehicles Compared to Petrol?
By Dmytro Spilka
With confusion among motorists over the upcoming ban on new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 in the United Kingdom, it’s worth looking at the real differences between electric vehicles and their petrol counterparts.
According to a survey of more than 14,000 AA members, misconceptions and suspicions over the future of electric vehicles (EVs) are still prevalent among the British public.
Notably, 7% of respondents believed that the government was banning the sale of used petrol and diesel cars in 2030, when the ban only applies to new car sales. Around a third also mistakenly thought that manual EVs exist, when all are automatic.
More than one in five claimed that they would never buy an EV, while 68% highlighted the reason they wouldn’t consider buying an electric car was because the vehicles are too expensive to buy or lease.
But is this really the case when it comes to electric vehicles? Let’s take a deeper look at the different costs associated with EV ownership compared to petrol:
How Much Does it Cost to Go Electric?
With EVs liable for road tax from April 2025, the tax benefits of going electric are weakening for those uncertain about making the switch from their petrol cars.
For most electric vehicle drivers, their road tax will cost £195 per year. However, drivers of new EVs with a list price over £40,000 could be liable to pay as much as £620 per year.
Despite fewer tax incentives, price parity between EVs and their petrol counterparts is fast approaching. According to data compiled by Fortune, the average cost of an electric car is now less than 10% higher than petrol cars. With a growing infrastructure to support car charging, it’s also becoming easier than ever to operate an electric car.
The ownership costs of EVs are where the true differences can be found. Data suggests that the average electric car driver will spend 60% less to power their vehicle over its lifetime than petrol drivers.
This means that car owners with easy access to charging ports can enjoy a more cost-effective and frictionless experience when using their electric vehicles. However, there are still some cost disparities that are important to cover.
Maintenance Costs are an Achilles’ Heel
One key problem with EV ownership is that the new technology appears to take longer on average to fix when things go wrong.
According to a recent report, the average number of hours it takes to repair a petrol car is 1.66, while for EVs, this figure almost doubles to 3.04.
Although this disparity will likely shorten over time, it appears that electric cars can be more vulnerable to issues and breakdowns.
One of the biggest issues with EVs is that cars can be far heavier than petrol vehicles, and this causes tyre tread to wear down faster, meaning that replacements are frequently needed.
Data from Epyx has found that EV tyres lasted 6,350 fewer miles than those fitted to petrol or diesel cars.
The combination of increased weight and higher torque levels means that electric vehicles can run into problems more often, which may cause issues to spread beyond the tyre tread.
For instance, impacts from potholes can be more pronounced, which can see existing damage exacerbated faster. This means that EV drivers with cracked windscreens should look to repair or replace glass before poor road conditions cause more damage.
As a result, EVs may be less practical outside of cities, with poorer road surface quality and a weaker infrastructure. But it’s reasonable to expect improvements to the durability and weight of vehicles alongside better charging facilities in the coming years to rectify these issues.
Higher Depreciation
One major problem with a rapidly growing EV ecosystem is that older vehicles can be left behind by technology, meaning they lose value far quicker than petrol or diesel cars.
In the United States, one report suggests that some EV models are losing as much as $600 per day in value, shedding 50% of their worth over a year.
This means that buying an electric vehicle can’t be regarded as an investment opportunity, and is likely to only benefit motorists who can get their money’s worth in savings per journey in comparison to petrol.
Time to Switch?
Although the UK still has many misconceptions about electric vehicles, the cost implications of going electric can carry a disproportionate effect on road users.
While the cost of purchasing an EV is closing in on reaching parity, the lower prices associated with charging can benefit those who regularly make journeys using their cars. However, the rapid depreciation of cars as the technology becomes more sophisticated means that infrequent drivers may fail to offset the cheaper running costs by the time it comes to selling their vehicle on.
The ban on new petrol and diesel car sales in 2030 will see more of us turn to EVs than ever before. If the technology hasn’t progressed enough by then, it may leave some less frequent road users out of pocket.
About the Author
Dmytro is an experienced writer based in London, UK. Founder of Solvid. Contributor to U.S. News, Forbes and PopSugar.