🔗 CompartilharWhatsAppTelegramX / TwitterFacebookLinkedInEmailCopiar link📅 Publicado em 22 de agosto de 2026Adicione o EVblog como fonte preferencial no Google Electric […]
Electric vs Gasoline Cars in 2026: Which Costs Less in 5 Years?
Updated on August 22, 2026
Direct answer
An electric car can cost much less to run than a gasoline car, especially when charging is done at home. But that doesn’t mean every electric car is automatically cheaper in 5 years.
The result depends on six main factors: purchase price, mileage, energy or fuel, maintenance, insurance, taxes and resale value.
In our reference scenario of 60,000 km in five years, an efficient electric car charged at home spends about R$ 7.1 thousand on energy, while a gasoline car that does 12 km/l would spend approximately R$ 32.5 thousand on fuel, using gasoline at R$ 6.50/liter.
Just in this portion of the account, the difference is over R$ 25 thousand in favor of the electric car.
But the real winner only appears after including acquisition, insurance, IPVA and mainly depreciation.
Want to know in your case? Use the EVblog TCO Calculator to compare electric and gasoline with your mileage, energy tariff and state.
Electric car or gasoline: what really needs to be compared?
Looking only at the price at the dealership is one of the most common mistakes when comparing an electric car with a combustion model.
The correct concept is the Total Cost of Ownership, known by the acronym TCO, from Total Cost of Ownership.
The account can be summarized as:
TCO = price paid + financing + energy or fuel + maintenance + insurance + taxes + other costs – resale value
In the case of the electric car, the cost of installing a residential charger may also need to be added.
That’s why two drivers who buy exactly the same car can come to completely different financial conclusions.
Who drives 25,000 km per year and charges at home has one scenario. Who drives 6,000 km per year and depends mainly on public fast chargers has another.
Our comparison scenario: 5 years and 60,000 km
To demonstrate the difference in usage cost without pretending there is a single tariff for the whole country, we adopted a reference scenario.
| Assumption | Electric | Gasoline |
|---|---|---|
| Distance in 5 years | 60.000 km | 60.000 km |
| Annual distance | 12.000 km | 12.000 km |
| Consumption | 14 kWh/100 km | 12 km/l |
| Energy/fuel | R$ 0.85/kWh | R$ 6.50/l |
| Type of use | Predominantly urban | Predominantly urban |
Important: these values are calculation assumptions and do not represent a fixed tariff for the whole country. Energy, fuel, consumption and taxes vary according to city, state, vehicle and usage profile.
For a personalized calculation, use the EVblog TCO Calculator.
How much does it cost to drive 1 km with electric and gasoline?
Here one of the greatest economic advantages of the electric car appears.
Electric car
With consumption of 14 kWh every 100 km and energy at R$ 0.85/kWh:
14 × R$ 0.85 ÷ 100 = R$ 0.119 per km
Rounding:
R$ 0.12 per km
Gasoline car
With consumption of 12 km/l and gasoline at R$ 6.50:
R$ 6.50 ÷ 12 = R$ 0.542 per km
Rounding:
R$ 0.54 per km
In this scenario, running the electric car costs approximately 22% of the energy cost of the gasoline vehicle.
This does not mean that your total TCO will be 78% lower, because purchase, insurance, taxes and depreciation still need to enter the account.
Energy vs gasoline in five years
Keeping the same assumptions:
| Usage cost | Electric | Gasoline |
|---|---|---|
| Per km | R$ 0.12 | R$ 0.54 |
| 1.000 km | R$ 119 | R$ 542 |
| 12.000 km/year | R$ 1.428 | R$ 6.500 |
| 60.000 km/5 years | R$ 7.140 | R$ 32.500 |
Energy savings in five years
R$ 32.500 – R$ 7.140 = R$ 25.360
Therefore, in this scenario, the electric car would save about R$ 25.4 thousand only in energy against gasoline over 60,000 km.
The more the driver drives, the greater the weight of this difference tends to be.
What if I charge at a public charging station?
The electric car’s advantage diminishes when a large part of charging is done at paid fast chargers.
This happens because the price of kWh at a public station can be significantly higher than the residential tariff.
So, instead of asking only:
“How much does it cost to charge an electric car?”
the correct question is:
“Where will I charge my car most of the time?”
Who has a garage and can do most of the charging at home generally manages to better exploit the economic advantage of the electric vehicle.
Who depends almost exclusively on public charging needs to put the real price of these stations into the simulation.
Use the EVblog Route Planner and Charging Map to evaluate the infrastructure available in your region.
Purchase price: where gasoline can still have an advantage
The electric car may spend less after purchase, but the initial price continues to be decisive.
Imagine that:
- the electric car costs R$ 20 thousand more;
- energy savings over five years are R$ 25 thousand;
- maintenance also favors the electric car.
In this case, the initial difference can be recovered during use.
But if the equivalent electric car costs R$ 50 thousand or R$ 60 thousand more, it’s not enough to look at the energy account and decree a winner.
This is where many simplified comparisons fall apart.
The additional price paid for the electric car needs to be compared with all the accumulated savings during the ownership period.
Maintenance: electric has fewer items, but not zero maintenance
Electric cars eliminate several maintenance components associated with the combustion engine.
For example, there is no periodic oil change, spark plugs, exhaust or conventional clutch.
This tends to reduce part of the maintenance cost.
But an electric car still needs maintenance.
Tires, suspension, alignment, brake system, air conditioning, cabin filters, electronic components and thermal management systems continue to exist.
Some models also have specific fluids and inspection items.
That’s why EVblog does not recommend applying a generic maintenance savings percentage to all cars.
The most reliable method is to compare the official review plan of the two models during the same mileage.
IPVA: there is no single rule for electric cars in Brazil
Another common mistake is to say that “electric car doesn’t pay IPVA”.
There is no automatic national exemption.
Each state has its own rules, which may include:
- normal billing;
- reduced rate;
- exemption for certain types of vehicles;
- value limits;
- conditions related to the technology or origin of the vehicle.
In addition, these rules may change from one fiscal year to another.
That’s why IPVA must be calculated according to state, model and year.
Consult the IPVA of your state in the EVblog national tool before including this benefit in the TCO.
This approach prevents turning a regional incentive into a national promise that may simply not exist for that buyer.
Is electric car insurance more expensive?
There is no universal percentage.
Insurance depends on factors such as:
- model;
- vehicle value;
- cost of parts;
- region;
- driver’s age;
- driver’s history;
- theft rate;
- repairer network;
- contracted coverage.
In some cases the electric car may have higher insurance. In others, the difference to an equivalent combustion model may be small.
For a serious TCO comparison, use real quotes for the two vehicles, with the same driver and coverage level.
Depreciation can decide the whole comparison
This is probably the most underestimated component of the cost of ownership.
Imagine two vehicles bought for R$ 120 thousand.
If after five years one can be sold for R$ 75 thousand and another for R$ 55 thousand, there is a patrimonial difference of R$ 20 thousand.
This difference can neutralize several years of savings with fuel.
That’s why it’s not correct to calculate TCO adding the full acquisition price and ignoring how much the car will still be worth at the end.
The calculation must consider:
Depreciation = effectively paid price – estimated resale value
At EVblog, you can use Zero Value and FIPE data to track the vehicle’s market value and build a more realistic estimate.
The real cost of a car in 5 years
A complete comparison must separate at least seven components:
| Component | What to consider |
|---|---|
| Purchase | Price actually paid, including discounts |
| Financing | Interest, fees and CET when applicable |
| Energy/fuel | Real consumption × local price |
| Maintenance | Review plan and parts |
| Insurance | Real driver quote |
| IPVA | Specific state rule |
| Depreciation | Price paid minus resale value |
This structure is much more useful than simply asking which vehicle “spends less fuel”.
When does the electric car start to pay off?
There is no universal number of years.
The so-called payback depends mainly on the initial price difference and the monthly savings obtained during use.
A simplified way to think about it is:
Approximate payback = net acquisition difference ÷ monthly savings
But even this account needs to be adjusted for maintenance, insurance, taxes and resale value.
Example
If the electric car costs R$ 20 thousand more and saves approximately R$ 5 thousand per year between energy and maintenance, the additional investment can be recovered in approximately four years.
If the acquisition difference is R$ 40 thousand maintaining the same savings, the deadline practically doubles.
That’s why the phrase “electric car pays off in X years” without informing the parameters is not very useful.
Who drives a lot tends to favor the electric car
Mileage has enormous influence because energy savings happen with every kilometer.
Up to approximately 10,000 km per year
The acquisition price and depreciation tend to have greater weight. A more expensive electric car may take a long time to recover the difference.
Between approximately 12,000 and 18,000 km per year
Energy savings begin to gain relevance, especially for those who charge at home.
More than 20,000 km per year
The cost per kilometer begins to have even greater weight in the decision and can significantly accelerate the recovery of the additional investment.
These ranges are not rules. They are just a way to understand why two owners can come to different answers using the same cars.
Used electric car can completely change the account
A used electric car can reduce the main economic obstacle of the category: the acquisition price.
If a relevant part of the initial depreciation has already occurred, the next buyer can have access to low energy cost without absorbing the entire price difference of a zero-kilometer vehicle.
But it’s important to check:
- general vehicle condition;
- maintenance history;
- remaining warranty;
- battery condition;
- mileage;
- documentation;
- FIPE value and real market prices.
Before buying, consult Zero Value, EVblog FIPE and Zero Range to evaluate price, warranty and autonomy.
So does electric car make financial sense?
The electric car tends to make more sense when:
- you drive a lot;
- can charge at home;
- intend to stay with the car for several years;
- the price difference to the equivalent combustion is small;
- insurance cost is competitive;
- your state offers favorable tax conditions;
- the model has a good resale value perspective.
Gasoline can continue to make sense when:
- you drive little;
- the combustion vehicle costs much less;
- you don’t have charging infrastructure;
- depends mainly on paid fast charging;
- intends to change cars in a short time;
- the electric car considered presents strong depreciation risk.
There is no correct answer for all consumers.
There is the correct answer for a certain car, in a certain city, with a certain mileage and a certain purchase price.
Electric car vs gasoline: conclusion
The electric car has a very clear advantage in energy cost.
In our reference scenario, driving 60,000 km would cost approximately R$ 7,140 in residential electricity, against about R$ 32,500 in gasoline.
This is a difference of approximately R$ 25,360.
But this still doesn’t answer alone which car has the lowest total cost.
Purchase price, financing, insurance, IPVA and mainly resale value can change the result.
So, the most correct conclusion is not that “electric car is always cheaper”.
It is this:
the greater the mileage and the greater the proportion of residential charging, the greater the economic advantage of the electric car tends to be. The greater the price difference and depreciation, the longer this advantage takes to appear.
Before buying, use the EVblog TCO Calculator and put your own numbers in the comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Is electric car cheaper per kilometer?
When charged at home, normally yes. In the scenario used by EVblog, the energy cost is approximately R$ 0.12/km, against R$ 0.54/km for a gasoline car that does 12 km/l with fuel at R$ 6.50/l.
Which is cheaper in five years: electric or gasoline?
It depends on the difference in acquisition price, mileage, charging, maintenance, insurance, taxes and depreciation. There is no universal winner.
How many kilometers do I need to drive for an electric car to pay off?
The greater the annual mileage, the faster the savings per kilometer accumulate. The EVblog TCO Calculator allows you to find the breakeven point for each scenario.
Does electric car not pay IPVA?
Not necessarily. Rules are state-level and may change. Consult EVblog’s IPVA tool to check the situation of the model in your state.
Is electric car maintenance free?
No. Electric cars eliminate several items related to the combustion engine, but continue to require tires, suspension, brakes, filters, climate control system and other inspections.
Is it worth charging only at public charging stations?
It depends on the price charged per kWh. More expensive public fast charging reduces the cost difference compared to gasoline.
Does the battery need to be replaced after a few years?
The battery should not be treated as a mandatory periodic replacement. Warranty, degradation and condition vary by manufacturer, technology and use. Consult the specific conditions of the model.
Can a used electric car be worth more?
It can. A used one can eliminate part of the initial price difference, but battery, warranty, real autonomy, history and resale value must be evaluated before purchase.
EVblog Methodology
This comparison uses a standardized scenario to make calculations reproducible.
Base scenario:
- period: five years;
- mileage: 60,000 km;
- electric: 14 kWh/100 km;
- reference tariff: R$ 0.85/kWh;
- gasoline: 12 km/l;
- reference price: R$ 6.50/l.
Energy and fuel values are scenario parameters and may differ from prices found by consumers.
For updated data, EVblog uses as primary references:
- National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels, for fuels;
- official manufacturer data;
- INMETRO/PBEV for homologated consumption and autonomy when available;
- state legislation for IPVA;
- FIPE and market data for vehicle values;
- EVblog canonical vehicle registry.
Last editorial review: August 22, 2026.
Content produced with assistance from the ATLAS system under curatorship and human editorial review of EVblog.
🔬 Metodologia e Fontes — como produzimos e verificamos este conteúdo
Fontes consultadas:
- Registro canônico EVblog (/dados-ev)
Forma de medição e critérios: comparativos usam sempre os mesmos campos (preço, autonomia, bateria, potência, consumo, recarga AC/DC) extraídos do registro canônico. Veja Como Testamos.
Última revisão: 22 de agosto de 2026.
Conteudo produzido com assistencia de IA sob curadoria e revisao editorial de Luiz Cavalcanti. Consulte a Política Editorial e a Política de Uso de IA.
