EV vs Hybrid — Which Is Cheaper to Run? ⚡
With the petrol car ban on new sales approaching and fuel prices remaining high, many UK drivers are weighing up their next move — full electric, self-charging hybrid, or plug-in hybrid. Each has genuine advantages and the right answer depends heavily on how and where you drive.
The short answer: Full EVs are cheapest to run if you can charge at home. Self-charging hybrids are the best all-rounder if you can't or don't want to charge. Plug-in hybrids sit in between — great for mixed driving patterns with regular charging.
Head-to-head comparison
Annual running costs compared — 12,000 miles
| Vehicle type | Example model | Annual fuel/energy | Annual servicing | Total (approx) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full EV (home charging) | Tesla Model 3 | £840 | £150 | ~£990 |
| Full EV (off-peak tariff) | Tesla Model 3 | £240 | £150 | ~£390 |
| Self-charging hybrid | Toyota Yaris Hybrid | £1,020 | £250 | ~£1,270 |
| Plug-in hybrid (charged regularly) | Mitsubishi Outlander | £600 | £300 | ~£900 |
| Plug-in hybrid (rarely charged) | Mitsubishi Outlander | £1,400 | £300 | ~£1,700 |
| Efficient petrol | VW Golf 1.5 eTSI | £1,285 | £300 | ~£1,585 |
The PHEV trap: Plug-in hybrids only deliver their efficiency promise if you charge regularly. Company car drivers who receive a PHEV but never charge it (running on petrol only) often get worse real-world economy than a standard petrol car — because they're carrying the weight of a battery they never use.
Which is right for you?
Choose a full EV if:
✅ You can charge at home (driveway, garage, or reliable on-street charging)
✅ Most of your journeys are under 150 miles
✅ You want the lowest possible running costs
✅ You care about minimising CO2 emissions
✅ You're comfortable with occasional longer-trip planning
Choose a self-charging hybrid if:
✅ You can't or don't want to charge at home
✅ You make frequent long motorway journeys
✅ You want petrol-like convenience with better fuel economy
✅ You do a lot of urban/suburban driving (where hybrids shine)
✅ You're not ready to commit to going fully electric yet
Choose a plug-in hybrid if:
✅ You have home charging and mainly do short journeys
✅ You occasionally need long range without planning charge stops
✅ You want to gradually transition to electric driving
✅ Your employer offers a PHEV as a company car (beneficial-in-kind tax advantages)
The environmental verdict
Full EVs produce significantly less CO2 per mile than hybrids over their lifetime — even accounting for battery manufacturing emissions. The UK grid (currently around 233g CO2/kWh and getting greener) means EV emissions will continue to fall as renewable energy capacity grows.
Self-charging hybrids are meaningfully cleaner than equivalent petrol cars — particularly in urban driving where the electric motor contributes most. But they still burn petrol and can't approach the low emissions of an EV charged on renewable electricity.
Calculate and compare EV vs petrol journey costs — free