Presets:
Financial Verdict & Cost Horizon
Calculating scenario dynamics...
Horizon: 5 Years | 60,000 Miles Driven
Petrol Vehicle Total Cost
$15,100
$0.25 / mile true cost
Electric Vehicle Total Cost
$50,600
$0.84 / mile true cost
EV Cost Break-Even Horizon
Never
High depreciation exceeds fuel savings
Source Reality Check (L.G. Brandon, Quora): "My car that I drive daily for work cost me $2,000 and runs and looks great... less than $500 a year on maintenance. Tell me how a car that costs $35kâ$100k is cheaper."
1. Driving & Ownership Schedule
12,000 mi
US national average is ~13,500 miles/year.
5 Years
Number of years vehicle will be kept in service.
2. Petrol Vehicle Profile (ICE)
$2,000
e.g. $2,000 high-mileage work car vs $32,000 new sedan.
25 MPG
$3.50
$200 / yr
Older beaters depreciate negligibly; newer cars lose 10-15%/yr.
$500 / yr
Oil changes, brakes, spark plugs, filters, minor repairs.
3. Electric Vehicle Profile (EV)
$35,000
New entry EV or late-model used electric vehicle.
0.30 kWh/mi
Equivalent to ~3.3 miles per kWh.
$0.15
Home residential charging rate (commercial fast chargers ~$0.35â$0.45).
$3,000 / yr
EVs often suffer accelerated early market depreciation.
$200 / yr
Fewer moving parts, regenerative braking pads, no oil changes.
Cumulative Cost Trajectory Over Time
Initial CapEx + Running Costs
â Amber: Petrol cumulative expenditure
â Emerald: EV cumulative expenditure
Categorical Cost Comparison (Full Horizon)
| Expense Category | Petrol Vehicle | Electric Vehicle |
|---|
Practicality & Friction Matrix
Real-world factors discussed in the Quora debate that don't show up on a raw fuel receipt:
Petrol Advantages:
- Minimal capital tie-up in vehicle ($2k beater)
- 5-minute refill anywhere (400-700 mi range)
- No home charging infrastructure needed
- Negligible residual value drop to absorb
EV Advantages:
- Massively cheaper fuel per mile ($0.045 vs $0.14)
- Zero trips to gas station if home charging
- Smooth, quiet, instant torque drive
- Near-zero mechanical maintenance failures