Analysis by the Climate Council shows a road trip between Brisbane and Cairns in a BEV would cost you $293 less than filling up a car with petrol.

The data* shows drivers behind the wheel of a BEV could save $25 on a road trip from Brisbane to Noosa and $156 on a trip from Brisbane to Sydney compared with what would be spent on petrol for the average car.

Climate Council Councillor and economist Nicki Hutley said fuel consumption was a major consideration for Australians when choosing a car.

“Having cleaner cars that are cheaper to run will help relieve the cost-of-living pressure on households,” Ms Hutley said.

“We’ve crunched the numbers and electric cars deliver the biggest savings but even choosing a more fuel-efficient petrol car can generate big savings.

“The best part is you don’t have to own an electric car to drive one. Hiring an electric vehicle for your next trip is a great option.”

The Climate Council is a community funded, independent organisation which advocates for lower emissions.

Fuel cost comparison between battery electric vehicle and average passenger car

*Methodology

Two vehicles were used for this analysis: the average Australian passenger vehicle defined by ABS (11.1L/100km fuel consumption) and a battery electric vehicle (BEV) (BYD Atto 3 Extended, 60.5 kWh battery and 420km range). The vehicle models compared are all listed as 2WD wagons on the Green Vehicle Guide. Fuel costs refer to the week ended 10 December for 2023, these are broken down by state with NSW and ACT combined. Electricity costs are prices as of 11 December 2023 and broken down by state grid usage. Note: Solar EV charging can be significantly cheaper, while public standard AC and fast DC charging can be slightly more expensive (45-65c/kWh). Where a journey crosses into another state, the fuel and electricity costs of the origin state are used throughout. BEV charging costs equal EV battery size (kWh) multiplied by electricity rate ($ per kWh), divided by the vehicle range for $ per km and multiplied by trip km.