EV Charging Cost vs Petrol

How per-km cost is computed

Per-km running cost = energy needed × tariff ÷ km. For an EV: battery efficiency (kWh / 100 km) × DISCOM tariff (₹/kWh) ÷ 100. For petrol: 1 ÷ mileage (km/L) × pump price (₹/L). Home AC charging is the cheapest because residential slab tariffs are subsidised (₹4–9 / kWh). DC fast chargers on highways (Tata Power, Statiq, Zeon) charge ₹15–24 / kWh because they pay commercial tariff and add operator margin.

Worked example

Tata Nexon EV (40.5 kWh battery, ~310 km real-world range) consumes ~13 kWh/100 km. Home charging in Bengaluru at BESCOM ₹6.5/kWh = ₹0.85/km. The petrol Nexon at 16 km/L with petrol at ₹103 = ₹6.44/km. Over 15,000 km/yr the EV costs ₹12,750 vs petrol ₹96,600 — saving ₹83,850 a year. On a Mumbai–Pune trip using a Tata Power DC fast charger at ₹22/kWh, the EV per-km cost jumps to ~₹2.85 — still cheaper than petrol but the gap closes. Ather 450X (2.9 kWh, ~120 km city range) costs ~₹0.18/km at home, vs a 50 cc scooter at ~₹2.20/km.

When to use this

• Comparing Tata Nexon EV / MG ZS EV / Mahindra XUV400 against their petrol versions
• Daily commute decisions — e-scooter (Ola S1 Pro, TVS iQube, Ather) vs petrol Activa
• Estimating break-even km against the ~₹3–5 lakh upfront EV premium
• Fleet planners (cab aggregators, last-mile delivery) sizing TCO

See fuel trip cost calculator for a single-trip view and our blog on EV vs petrol running cost.