Electric vs Petrol vs Diesel: Which Fuel Type Should You Choose?

Choosing between electric, petrol, and diesel is one of the most important decisions when buying a car. Each has distinct advantages, costs, and suitability depending on your driving patterns.

Electric Vehicles (EVs)

Advantages

Running Costs

• Electricity much cheaper than fuel - £5-8 for 200 miles vs £25-35 petrol
• Home charging cheapest - Off-peak rates 7p/kWh
• No road tax - Currently £0 VED (until 2025)
• Low maintenance - No oil changes, fewer moving parts
• Brake longevity - Regenerative braking reduces wear
• Some free parking - Local authority incentives

Environmental

• Zero tailpipe emissions
• Lower carbon footprint - Even with UK grid mix
• Improving rapidly - Grid becoming greener
• Reduced air pollution - Better for cities

Driving Experience

• Instant torque - Smooth, rapid acceleration
• Silent operation - Peaceful, refined
• One-pedal driving - Regen braking
• Low center of gravity - Better handling

Incentives

• Company car tax - 2% BIK (vs 25%+ for petrol/diesel)
• Congestion charge exempt - London, Bath, others
• Workplace charging - Often free
• Government grants - EV chargepoint grants

Disadvantages

Purchase Cost

• £5,000-£15,000 more - Than equivalent petrol
• Depreciation unclear - Rapid tech advancement
• Battery degradation concern - Replacement cost £5k-£15k
• Limited used market - Though improving

Range Anxiety

• 200-300 miles typical - Less in winter
• Cold weather impact - 20-30% range loss
• Battery degradation - Range decreases with age
• Real range vs claimed - Often 20% less

Charging Infrastructure

• Home charger essential - £800-1,500 installed
• No driveway = difficult - Street parking problematic
• Public charging expensive - Rapid chargers 50-70p/kWh
• Charge time - 30-60 mins rapid, 8-10 hours home
• Postcode lottery - Variable infrastructure quality

Practicality Issues

• Long journeys challenging - Requires planning
• Towing capacity - Limited, drains battery rapidly
• Cold weather - Heating uses significant range
• Motorway efficiency - Much worse than urban

Best For

Ideal If You:

• Have off-street parking/driveway
• Daily commute under 50 miles
• Second car (petrol/diesel for long trips)
• Can charge at work (free/cheap)
• Mainly urban driving
• Company car user (tax benefits huge)

Avoid If You:

• Street parking only
• Regular long journeys (300+ miles)
• Tow frequently
• Can't afford £25k+ purchase
• No charging at home or work
• Need one car for everything

Running Cost Example

Nissan Leaf (40kWh) - 168 mile range

• Purchase: £28,000
• Electricity (10k miles): £300/year (home charging)
• VED: £0
• Servicing: £150/year (minimal maintenance)
• Annual cost: £450 + depreciation

Petrol

Advantages

Purchase Price

• Cheapest to buy - Especially small engines
• Huge choice - Most models available
• Better depreciation - Established market
• Cheaper insurance - Than diesel equivalent

Practicality

• Refuel anywhere - Petrol stations everywhere
• Refuel quickly - 5 minutes
• Long range - 400-600 miles typical
• No planning needed - Just drive

Maintenance

• Cheaper servicing - Than diesel
• Fewer DPF issues - No particulate filter
• Better for short journeys - No warm-up requirements
• Lower repair costs - Simpler engines (modern small turbos excepted)

Flexibility

• Suits all driving patterns
• Low mileage friendly
• Urban use fine
• Cold starts no issue

Disadvantages

Running Costs

• Fuel expensive - £1.45-£1.55/litre (2024)
• Lower MPG - Than diesel (typically)
• VED - £180/year standard rate
• More frequent servicing - Than EV

Environmental

• CO2 emissions - Climate impact
• Air pollution - NOx, particulates
• Fossil fuel dependent

Efficiency

• Poor for high mileage - 30-50mpg typical
• Motorway economy - Worse than diesel
• Performance costs MPG - Especially small turbos

Best For

Ideal If You:

• Low annual mileage (under 10k)
• Mix of short and long journeys
• Budget-conscious purchase
• Mainly urban/suburban driving
• Don't want charging hassle
• Need maximum flexibility

Avoid If You:

• High mileage (15k+/year)
• Mainly motorway miles
• Want lowest running costs
• Environmental priority

Running Cost Example

Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost

• Purchase: £15,000 (used, 3 years old)
• Fuel (10k miles, 50mpg): £1,350/year
• VED: £180/year
• Servicing: £250/year
• Annual cost: £1,780 + depreciation

Diesel

Advantages

Economy

• Best MPG - 50-70mpg common
• Long range - 600-800 miles possible
• Motorway efficiency - Excels on long runs
• Lower fuel consumption - Than petrol

High Mileage

• Cheaper per mile - For 15k+ miles/year
• Less refueling - Larger tanks, better economy
• Torque for towing - Excellent pulling power
• Long-distance comfort - Relaxed cruising

Longevity

• Durable engines - Can last 200k+ miles
• Better resale - If properly maintained
• Commercial use - Vans, trucks predominantly diesel

Disadvantages

Purchase Cost

• £1,500-£3,000 premium - Over equivalent petrol
• Higher insurance - Slightly more than petrol

Maintenance

• DPF issues - Diesel Particulate Filter problems
• EGR problems - Exhaust Gas Recirculation valve
• AdBlue costs - Modern diesels require it
• Expensive repairs - Injection systems costly (£1,000+)
• Not for short journeys - DPF needs regular regeneration

Environmental

• NOx emissions - Air quality impact
• Particulates - Health concerns
• City restrictions - ULEZ, Clean Air Zones
• Falling popularity - Resale concerns

Practicality Issues

• DPF regeneration - Requires 20+ min motorway drive regularly
• Cold start issues - Glow plugs can fail
• Fuel more expensive - Than petrol (per litre)
• Future uncertainty - Ban on new sales 2030

Best For

Ideal If You:

• High annual mileage (15k+)
• Mainly motorway/A-road
• Long commute
• Tow regularly
• Keep cars long-term (depreciation spreads)
• Regular long journeys (DPF regeneration)

Avoid If You:

• Low mileage (under 12k/year)
• Mainly short urban journeys
• Worried about ULEZ/restrictions
• Don't want DPF hassle
• Environmental concerns

Running Cost Example

VW Golf 2.0 TDI

• Purchase: £18,000 (used, 3 years old)
• Fuel (10k miles, 60mpg): £1,100/year
• VED: £180/year
• Servicing: £350/year (inc. AdBlue)
• Annual cost: £1,630 + depreciation

But at 20k miles/year:

• Fuel: £2,200/year
• Makes more economic sense vs petrol

Hybrid Options

Mild Hybrid (MHEV)

What It Is:

• Small electric motor assists petrol engine
• Can't drive on electric alone
• Improves efficiency 10-15%

Examples: Ford Puma, Suzuki Vitara

Best For:

• Want efficiency without EV commitment
• No charging infrastructure
• Affordable option (£1k-2k premium)

Full Hybrid (HEV)

What It Is:

• Battery charges from petrol engine
• Can drive short distances on electric (1-2 miles)
• No plug-in charging

Examples: Toyota Prius, Honda Jazz Hybrid

Advantages:

• 50-60mpg easily achievable
• Urban driving very efficient
• No charging needed
• Proven reliability (Toyota)

Best For:

• Urban/stop-start driving
• Want EV feel without charging
• Reliability priority

Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV)

What It Is:

• Charges from mains electricity
• 20-40 mile electric range
• Petrol engine for longer journeys

Examples: VW Golf GTE, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Advantages:

• Daily commute on electric (if under 30 miles)
• Long journey petrol backup
• Company car tax benefits (8-12% BIK)
• No range anxiety

Disadvantages:

• Expensive - £5k-8k premium over petrol
• Heavy - Battery + engine weight
• Poor economy if not charged - Carrying heavy battery for nothing
• Complex - More to go wrong

Best For:

• Short daily commute + occasional long trip
• Can charge at home nightly
• Company car user (tax benefits)

Avoid If:

• Can't charge regularly (defeats the purpose)
• High mileage (petrol cheaper overall)

Cost Comparison

10,000 Miles Per Year

Electric (Nissan Leaf):

• Fuel/electricity: £300
• VED: £0
• Servicing: £150
• Total: £450

Petrol (Ford Fiesta 1.0):

• Fuel (50mpg): £1,350
• VED: £180
• Servicing: £250
• Total: £1,780

Diesel (VW Golf 2.0 TDI):

• Fuel (60mpg): £1,100
• VED: £180
• Servicing: £350
• Total: £1,630

Winner: EV saves £1,200-£1,330/year

20,000 Miles Per Year

Electric (Nissan Leaf):

• Fuel/electricity: £600 (mix home/public charging)
• VED: £0
• Servicing: £200
• Total: £800

Petrol (Ford Fiesta 1.0):

• Fuel (50mpg): £2,700
• VED: £180
• Servicing: £400
• Total: £3,280

Diesel (VW Golf 2.0 TDI):

• Fuel (60mpg): £2,200
• VED: £180
• Servicing: £500
• Total: £2,880

Winner: EV saves £2,080-£2,480/year

(But: EV range may require more frequent charging stops on long journeys)

30,000 Miles Per Year (Long Distance Driver)

Electric:

• Impractical for this mileage if including long journeys
• Would require extensive public charging (expensive, time-consuming)

Petrol:

• Fuel: £4,050
• Total annual: £4,600

Diesel:

• Fuel: £3,300
• Total annual: £4,000

Winner: Diesel saves £600/year (And much more practical for this use case)

Break-Even Analysis

When Does EV Cost Justify Premium?

Example:

• EV purchase: £30,000
• Petrol purchase: £20,000
• Premium: £10,000

Annual saving (10k miles): £1,330 Break-even: 7.5 years

Annual saving (20k miles): £2,480 Break-even: 4 years

Considerations:

• Depreciation rates uncertain
• Battery degradation
• Electricity prices rising
• Petrol prices rising
• Incentives ending

Environmental Impact

CO2 Emissions (Lifetime)

Including Manufacturing:

• EV: 50-60g CO2/km (UK grid mix)
• Petrol: 150-180g CO2/km
• Diesel: 130-160g CO2/km

Notes:

• EV manufacturing more carbon-intensive (battery)
• Lifetime emissions still 60-70% lower
• Grid decarbonizing (improving EV advantage)

Local Air Quality

EVs:

• Zero tailpipe emissions
• Tire/brake particulates (though regen braking reduces brake wear)

Petrol:

• CO2, NOx (low), particulates (low)

Diesel:

• CO2 (lower than petrol), NOx (high), particulates (high despite DPF)

Future-Proofing

2030 Petrol/Diesel Ban

What's Banned:

• New petrol/diesel cars from 2030
• Hybrids allowed until 2035
• Used sales unaffected

Implications:

• Petrol/diesel bought now will last their lifetime
• Resale values may decline post-2028
• Fuel stations will remain (millions of existing cars)

ULEZ & Clean Air Zones

Current Restrictions:

• London ULEZ: Pre-2015 diesels, pre-2005 petrol charged
• Birmingham, Bath, others: Similar restrictions

Future Likely:

• More cities implementing
• Stricter standards
• Diesel particularly targeted

Consider:

• Where you live/travel
• Future expansion likely
• £12.50/day adds up

Decision Framework

Choose Electric If:

• ✅ Have off-street parking
• ✅ Daily commute under 50 miles
• ✅ Mainly urban driving
• ✅ Can charge at home/work
• ✅ Environmental priority
• ✅ Want lowest running costs
• ✅ Company car (tax benefits)

Choose Petrol If:

• ✅ Low annual mileage (under 12k)
• ✅ Mix of short and long journeys
• ✅ Budget purchase priority
• ✅ Maximum flexibility needed
• ✅ Don't want EV/diesel hassles
• ✅ Street parking (can't charge EV)

Choose Diesel If:

• ✅ High annual mileage (15k+)
• ✅ Mainly motorway/long distance
• ✅ Tow regularly
• ✅ Fuel economy priority
• ✅ Regular long journeys (DPF health)
• ✅ Keep cars long-term

Choose Hybrid If:

• ✅ Urban driving but no home charging (HEV)
• ✅ Short commute + long trips (PHEV with home charging)
• ✅ Want EV benefits without commitment
• ✅ Company car (PHEV tax benefits)

Common Mistakes

Don't:

• Buy diesel for low mileage (DPF issues)
• Buy EV without home charging (public charging expensive)
• Assume diesel always cheaper (under 12k miles, petrol often better)
• Ignore incentives (company car tax huge factor)
• Forget depreciation (EVs uncertain, diesels declining)
• Buy PHEV if you won't charge it (pointless weight)

Summary

Best Overall Value (Most People): Petrol - Flexibility, lower purchase cost, suits varied use

Best Running Costs (If Suitable): Electric - But only with home charging and right usage pattern

Best High Mileage: Diesel - But ensure mileage justifies it (15k+) and includes long journeys

Best Compromise: Full Hybrid (HEV) - Efficiency without charging hassle, proven reliability

Future Trends:

• EVs improving rapidly (range, charging, price)
• Petrol remaining sensible default
• Diesel declining but still viable for high mileage
• Hybrids excellent transition technology

The Right Answer: Depends entirely on your specific situation:

• Driving patterns
• Parking/charging access
• Annual mileage
• Budget
• Environmental priorities

Be honest about your actual usage, not idealized usage. Many buy diesel "for the economy" then do 8k urban miles and face DPF nightmares.

Choose based on reality, not aspiration.