What does electric driving really cost?

Electric driving is quiet and you accelerate quickly. In the past decade, the number of electric cars has expanded considerably, thanks to the benefits it has to offer. The number of EVs in the Dutch fleet grew by almost 74 thousand vehicles last year. In total, as of 1 January 2023, more than 312 electric cars were registered.

‘Electric driving is expensive’ is a comment that goes around a lot, but is this true? In this blog you can read everything about purchasing an electric vehicle, energy costs and consumption, smart charging, maintenance costs, depreciation costs and the various tax benefits of electric driving.

What are the purchase costs of an electric vehicle?

In recent years, the price of purchasing an electric car has fallen. In 2018, an average electric car cost around 75 thousand euros. This had fallen to 51 thousand euros in 2021 and can be explained by a growing supply of EVs in the smaller and cheaper segment. The range of electric vehicles is expected to expand even more in the coming years, causing the average price to fall even further.

Exactly how much you will spend when you buy an electric car depends on your wishes and requirements. There are more and more affordable electric vehicles to be found.

Favorite EV under 30,000 euros

The Peugeot e-208 is the favorite when it comes to affordable electric vehicles. To make electric driving even more attractive, it is possible to apply for a SEPP subsidy for this Peugeot as a private individual. You can purchase this e-208 in the colors red, blue, yellow, black and silver.

The average range of this electric Peugeot is 263 kilometers. Once on the way to your destination, you can enjoy the high-quality audio system including DAB radio. A full map navigation system is also included. Control of the audio and navigation can be fully controlled via the voice function on the steering wheel.

View even more electric cars under 30,000 euros?

What is the energy cost for an EV?

How high the fuel costs of electric cars are depends on, among other things, the weight of the car and the power of the engine. The majority of electric vehicles consume an average of between 8 kWh per 100 kilometers and 30 kWh per 100 kilometers. So quite a difference.

To make it more transparent: an average family consumes approximately 3,300 kWh per year. If you want to calculate the exact costs for charging at home, multiply the number of kWh by the price you pay per kWh. The maximum energy rate per kWh will be reduced to 40 cents in 2023, with a maximum consumption of up to 2,900 kWh. If you exceed this ceiling, you pay a higher price that the energy supplier can determine itself.

In addition, the fuel costs of your EV naturally depend on where you charge. The rates for charging stations and charge cards vary among the various providers. The average price is between 30 cents and 75 cents per kWh at a public charging station. For fast charging you quickly pay between 65 cents and 90 cents per kWh.

Having your own pole to charge your car is generally the cheapest option

To take an example: the electric Peugeot e-208 consumes an average of 158 Wh per kilometer. When you multiply this by the maximum rate per kWh at home, this amounts to 63.20 euros for a full battery.

How much cost do you save with smart charging?

When you smartly charge your electric car at home, the time and charging speed of your session are controlled. In addition to charging your electric car in a more sustainable and cheaper way, the power grid is also less taxed. If you have a home charging station and solar panels, you can charge completely cheaply.

Tips for smart charging your vehicle?

How high are the maintenance costs?

A car that runs fully electrically has hardly any engine parts that are running. There are also no spark plugs, gearbox, engine oil and filters. As a result, an electric car requires less maintenance than a petrol and diesel car. In an EV, the most wear-sensitive part is the battery. On average, the maintenance costs of an electric vehicle are lower than those of a car that runs on petrol or diesel.

But even with an electric car, the tires can wear out, the brakes need to be maintained or the lamps replaced. There will therefore always be some costs for maintenance. On average, a maintenance moment of an EV costs 193 euros. However, the number of maintenance visits is slightly higher for an EV: an average of 1.76 times compared to 1.73 times per year for a car with a combustion engine.

Prefer no unexpected costs for your electric vehicle? When you decide to privately lease your electric car, you pay one fixed amount per month, regardless of the maintenance required.

What about depreciation?

Depreciation refers to the annual depreciation of your vehicle. You can easily calculate this by subtracting the total cost of the purchase from the residual value of your EV. After four years of driving, an electric car is still worth about 50% of the new price. This is about the same as with a petrol car. With a diesel car, after the same period, the vehicle is worth just over 40 percent of the new price.

What are the tax benefits of electric driving?

The popularity of electric cars is partly due to the many tax advantages it entails. This means lower fixed and variable costs. For example, you receive an exemption from tax on passenger cars and motorcycles (bpm), which permanently ensures lower operating costs. Because you can also qualify for a purchase subsidy for new and used EVs and receive an exemption from purchase or motor vehicle tax (MRB), the one-off purchase costs are also reduced.

Are you looking for an electric car that you can purchase with the SEPP for private individuals?

Would you like to know more about the financial benefits of electric driving for private individuals?