Electric Cars: €2.7 per 100 km vs. €10 for Diesel

Electric Car vs. 100 km Daily: €2.7 for Electricity vs. €10 for Diesel

Is it worth buying an electric car if you drive 100 kilometers daily for work? The initial calculation is simple and striking: a diesel car consuming 5 liters per 100 km, with diesel at 2 euros per liter, costs €10 per 100 kilometers. An electric car consuming 15 kWh at 0.20 euros per kWh costs €2.7. Four times less. However, when purchase price, battery, and charging come into play, the story changes.

From €10 to €2.7: Electric Kilometers Aren't Free

The starting point is energy savings. With these figures, a 200-kilometer round alucinación daily results in a differential of €7.3 per day in favor of electric. This isn't just a slogan: at least 30% of the energy from the meter is lost with electric motors due to the inverter, rectifier, and inevitable charging and discharging losses of the battery itself. The actual bill always goes up. Even so, the margin holds even with high electricity prices and low diesel prices.

The problem is that no one always drives in optimal conditions. In winter, cabin heating consumes part of the budget, and the 15 kWh per 100 kilometers can become 20 kWh. And the electricity price isn't constant: while some home contracts are around 14.5 cents per kWh, public chargers can cost around 50 cents, significantly impacting the overall cost.

How Long to Amortize an Electric Car

Here's the catch. If the vehicle costs €35,000 and you save 7.3 euros per working day —231 days a year—, it takes 20.75 years to start truly saving money. Over two decades. This figure highlights two conflicting perspectives: the one comparing purchase price against purchase price, and the one measuring cost per kilometer over the car's entire lifespan.

Some argue that the difference between a combustion engine model and its electric equivalent is recovered in just three years, provided three conditions are met simultaneously: charging at home at night, driving many kilometers, and not needing the car for long trips. Outside this scenario, the initial extra cost weighs heavily.

The €14,000 Battery: Between Myth and Real Problem

This is the battleground. Some analyses estimate €14,000 every five years for battery replacement to avoid losing a third of its capacity, noting that like a smartphone, the battery degrades with each charge, especially with fast charging. Others counter that this figure has been debunked long ago, is repeated like a mantra, and that actual degradation is far from that apocalyptic scenario.

What most agree on is the reasonable usage range: operating between 80% and 20% charge daily, without buying more range than necessary because each extra kilometer of battery is dead weight that you pay for upfront and carry around forever. Maintenance, meanwhile, is another focus: no engine oil, no spark plugs or belts, but brake fluid and battery coolant still require scheduled checks.

The Problem Isn't the Car, It's Where You Plug It In

This reveals a social divide that no dealership brochure mentions. Cheap charging requires a private garage or, even better, a roof with solar panels. Most people live in apartments and cannot install panels or charge overnight at bargain prices. For this large group of drivers, the energy equation falls apart.

Add to this the climate. What works wonders in Norway may not perform as well in parts of Spain where temperatures soar to 45 degrees Celsius. Extreme temperatures affect batteries, and the thermal management system —liquid cooling, air, or none— makes the difference between a long-lasting battery and one that loses capacity.

If They're So Good, Why Aren't They on the Road?

This awkward question points to the actual market. Just count cars on any highway to see the gap between the narrative and reality: per thousand vehicles, electric cars are still a rarity. The most common explanation is a combination of high price and limited practicality for long trips.

The debate continues. There's the one who bets on pogre and buys with extended range for unforeseen events, the one who argues that electric motor technology is infinitely more reliable than any combustion engine, and the one who looks at their old diesel from 2004 with 360,000 kilometers and zero breakdowns and sees no reason to change anything.

While the combustion engine is being phased out in offices, the trusty old Toyota still starts on the first try at the doorstep. Let's see who changes the battery on that.