The Cost of Driving 100 Kilometers with an Electric Car

Electric cars are becoming increasingly popular and are incentivized for their reduced environmental impact, but how much do they actually cost? The cost of consumption depends on the price of electricity, which is not as straightforward to estimate compared to gasoline or diesel, where the cost per liter of fuel is readily visible.

In addition to the refueling cost, it is important to consider the energy consumption of electric cars.
Estimating this can be complex due to various additional variables compared to traditional cars, such as the energy contract, charging station, and off-peak tariff.

Furthermore, the technical characteristics of the vehicle, like weight and power, also play a significant role, similar to internal combustion engine cars.
Despite the numerous benefits of eco-friendly vehicles, let’s delve into a more practical aspect for travelers: how much does it cost to drive 100 kilometers with an electric car.

Calculating the Costs

To estimate the cost of driving an electric car, it’s essential to differentiate between the type of charging station used, whether it’s domestic or public.
Domestic charging generally has a lower cost, starting at around 0.20 euros per kWh, as it allows users to choose a contract tailored to their needs and benefit from savings opportunities such as off-peak tariffs.

On the other hand, public charging stations offer faster charging rates but at a higher cost, ranging from 0.40 to 0.93 euros per kWh, depending on the speed of the charging station.
Here is an overview of the average costs:

– Domestic Charging: 0.36 euros per kWh
– Public Charging (AC): between 0.40 and 0.72 euros per kWh
– Public Charging (DC): between 0.45 and 0.79 euros per kWh
– Ultra-Fast Public Charging: up to 0.93 euros per kWh

These figures represent the charging costs.
To understand the overall cost of driving 100 kilometers, another calculation is needed.
The average consumption of an electric car is around 13.5 kWh per 100 kilometers.
It’s important to note that consumption can vary based on the vehicle type, driving style, and road conditions.

The age of the electric car also plays a role, with newer models having higher energy efficiency compared to older ones.
As a general estimate, driving 100 kilometers with an electric car costs between 4.86 and 12.55 euros.

It’s worth mentioning that only Methane or LPG refueling costs fall below this average, while diesel and gasoline prices are considerably higher, approaching the costs of premium electric charging stations, which may not be compatible with all electric vehicles.
Hybrid cars using LPG and gasoline come close to electric cars in terms of cost but do not offer the same environmental benefits.
However, electric vehicles still face challenges in terms of charging time compared to the immediacy of traditional fuels.

Tips for Lower Consumption

Reducing energy consumption while driving an electric car is possible by following some simple tips, similar to those recommended for internal combustion engines.
These include:

– Maintaining a moderate speed and avoiding abrupt accelerations and decelerations.
– Minimizing unnecessary loads.
– Checking and maintaining appropriate tire pressure.
– Using the air conditioning moderately.

For electric motors, there is an additional strategy to reduce energy consumption: regenerative braking.
This technology helps recharge the lithium-ion battery by harnessing kinetic energy that would otherwise be lost during braking.
Drivers can benefit from this feature without any special actions, except for practicing gentle braking whenever possible.