“Cheaper charging and servicing make EVs cheaper to own in Australia”

Energy savings do not decide the whole ownership bill

The closest recent like-category example is The NRMA's 2026 small-car comparison. Over five years and 55,500 km, its petrol MG3 Vibe costs an estimated $29,951 to own; the electric BYD Atto 1 is $30,616. The EV starts $4,825 higher on the NSW drive-away estimate, but the model gives it $3,508 less in energy spending and $438 less in scheduled servicing. Higher depreciation ($3,725), comprehensive insurance ($694) and one replacement set of tyres ($192) use up that advantage, leaving the EV only $665 dearer overall. ^[1]

Local models show lower running costs, with different assumptions

RACQ's 2025 Queensland model reinforces the running-cost pattern. At 15,000 km per year, the BYD Dolphin's monthly electricity line is $51.96, versus $136.47 for petrol in its Hyundai i30 comparator; servicing and tyres are $35.33 versus $73.23. Registration and insurance go the other way: $174.11 per month for the Dolphin versus $155.62 for the i30. Their estimated on-road prices are close ($32,509 and $31,955), although the Dolphin hatch and i30 sedan are not identical body styles. RACQ assumes 32.99 cents/kWh at home and QLD June-quarter 2025 fuel prices. Its comprehensive-insurance example is a 30-year-old driver, average-risk garage postcode, market-value cover, $850 excess and averaged male/female premiums; its registration and CTP inputs are Queensland figures. ^[2]

Charging location changes the energy-only result

NRMA's national 2026 model assumes 70% home, 20% public and 10% solar charging, with a blended 32.5 cents/kWh. Its Atto 1 electricity estimate of $2,796 over 55,500 km implies roughly 15.5 kWh/100km and about $5.04 per 100 km on that blend. Holding that consumption constant, RACQ's 32.99-cent home tariff works out to about $5.11/100 km. NSW Government guidance gives 40–80 cents/kWh for public fast charging, or about $6.20–$12.40/100 km at the same energy use; a remote NRMA site was listed at 99 cents/kWh in July 2025, showing that location can matter further. The petrol MG3 benchmark in NRMA's study is about $11.36/100 km at its modeled fuel prices. These calculations compare energy alone, not total vehicle cost. ^[3]

Count the value of exported solar electricity

Solar charging can be very cheap, but a zero-dollar label hides the value of electricity that could have been exported. The Queensland Competition Authority set the regional Queensland feed-in tariff at 6.006 cents/kWh for 2026–27; applied to the same 15.5 kWh/100km example, charging from surplus solar costs about 93 cents per 100 km in foregone export credit. The figure applies to eligible regional Queensland customers, not every Australian household. The Australian Government explains that feed-in tariffs vary by plan and time, so owners should use their actual export credit when pricing daytime solar charging. ^[4]

Used-car condition and insurance deserve separate checks

Used-EV battery condition is becoming more measurable. Pickles reported that 400 used EVs it tested through Q1 2025 averaged 96.3% battery State of Health, with average age 29 months and 29,300 km. Its auction data also shows why resale assumptions need dates: the Datium used-EV price index fell 37% from January 2023 to June 2024, while Pickles' separate index was down 1% from July 2024 to March 2025, when its average used-EV price was just over $36,000. Battery-management-system scores and auction averages can guide a vehicle inspection, but neither predicts an individual car's remaining range or resale price. ^[8]

Insurance averages also vary across the market. CHOICE's January 2026 standardised quote sample estimated $2,440 a year for a new EV and $1,865 for a new petrol car. Its prose summary says EV premiums are 22–27% higher at ages one to four, but its two-year-old table values imply about 31%; its new-car comparison is the clearer direct figure. These category averages complement NRMA's driver-specific quote, but they do not replace quotes for a buyer's exact model, location and profile. ^[7]

The useful conclusion is model and household specific

Near-parity estimates are not a new-car guarantee: RACQ's 2023 report already found its medium-SUV BYD Atto 3 cost just $31 a month more than its cheapest petrol comparator, under that year's Queensland fuel, finance and incentive assumptions. For a current buyer, compare actual drive-away quotes, insurance offers and state charges, then price charging from the tariff and hours available. NRMA's 2026 insurance quote is tied to a Chatswood profile and its registration/CTP figures cover NSW; RACQ is Queensland-specific. The evidence supports lower EV energy and scheduled-service costs in these examples, while the complete five-year bill can land near parity or shift either way with vehicle choice, depreciation, insurance and charging access. ^[6]