Electric vehicles have been rising in popularity over the years. Five years ago, most considered the EV a trend that would soon disappear, but that is not the case. Lack of charging infrastructure, higher upfront cost and lack of ‘fun factor’ were considered points against the cleaner fuel option. Is it still the case in 2025, or have EVs finally become a better choice than petrol cars? Let's find out by comparing the ownership cost of an electric car vs a petrol car.

Electric vs Petrol Car

To compare the ownership costs of EVs and petrol vehicles, we will compare the expenses associated with car ownership, such as maintenance, fuel and parts replacement. These costs will be combined with the purchasing cost to help you make an informed decision.

Purchasing the Vehicle

It's common knowledge that petrol models are cheaper than electric cars. The battery pack are the costliest part of an EV, which severely hikes up the price when compared to an internal combustion engine. Batteries are made from rare materials such as lithium, which need to be imported to India. However, with technological advances, the cost of batteries will drop, making the electric vs petrol car debate one-sided.

This higher initial cost puts the petrol cars ahead. Here is an example of the Hyundai Creta and its electric sibling, the Hyundai Creta Electric:

The initial cost of the EV is significantly higher than that ICE counterpart. We will add the other calculated expenses to the starting price of this example to get an idea of the total ownership cost of EVs and petrol in India. To keep it fair for both cars, we will consider the base variant of each model.

Running Costs: Refuelling

The most recurring cost for any kind of vehicle, regardless of fuel type, is refuelling. The cost of petrol and electricity fluctuates from state to state, so we have calculated the costs in Delhi.

Let us start by setting up a usage scenario. This will be carried forward for other costs as well.

For this study, let's assume the everyday distance covered by the vehicle is 100 km. The effective range of the base Creta Electric variant is 390 km, while the petrol Creta can travel a total of 870 km (50-litre fuel tank X 17.4 kmpl ARAI mileage).

Under ideal circumstances, the EV needs to be charged every third day while the petrol needs to be refilled every 8th day. This will result in the following costs over a month:

Over 10 years, electric vehicles attract a significantly lower refuelling cost than the petrol option. These values assume the cost of petrol and electricity will not change, so take these numbers with a grain of salt.

Do note that the electric charging costs have accounted for home charging for the entire duration. Currently, some charging stations across India offer free charging. Opting for those will further reduce the cost of charging in favour of the cleaner fuel option.

Adding these costs over the starting price of both models, we now have the following figures:

• Hyundai Creta: Rs 32,10,960
• Hyundai Creta Electric: Rs 31,68,000

The refuelling costs alone have made the petrol option costlier when compared to the Electric.

Also Check Out: New Maharashtra EV Policy 2025: Subsidies, Toll Waivers And More

Maintenance and Service Charges

Over 10 years, the Hyundai Creta petrol accumulates a total service charge of Rs 62,273. The highest cost is at the 6th year of ownership due to the replacement of spark plugs.

The Hyundai Creta Electric, on the other hand, costs Rs 33,275 to maintain. EVs come with fewer moving parts than a petrol engine, which results in a lower maintenance cost. Also note that most of the service cost is labour charge and not parts.

Creta Electric comes with an 8-year or 1,60,000 km warranty for the battery. If the battery fails during the last two years, it will significantly increase the maintenance cost of the EV.

With the maintenance expenses out of the way, let's look at the total cost of the vehicles now:

Hyundai Creta Petrol: Rs 32,73,233

Hyundai Creta Electric: 32,01,275

Over 10 years, the Hyundai Creta Electric costs less than the petrol option. This is under the assumption that both models never underwent any major repairs and had the recommended service and maintenance.

On Road Charges

The prices mentioned above only accounted for the ex-showroom prices for each model. Further adding the additional costs that are required, we get the following figures:

The Creta Electric attracts a significantly lower RTO cost than the ICE option. Adding these charges to the current costs, we get the following cost:

Hyundai Creta Petrol: Rs 34,04,405

Hyundai Creta Electric: Rs 32,27,095

Conclusion

Concerning the above conditions, the EV will save you around Rs 2 lakh in 10 years. We can conclude that over the long run, EVs will cost you less to own than a petrol car. Do note that we have used ideal conditions, such as no increase in fuel prices or the cost of electricity, EV charging being fully efficient and perfect fuel efficiency for the entire 10-year duration.

With that context, EVs are perfect for long-term and long-distance travel every day. The EVs become more cost-effective the longer they are used. If you want to replace your vehicles every so often, you should consider a petrol option instead of an EV.

Government incentives could change over the years, making EVs cheaper or costlier, which cannot be predicted as of now.

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