Mining energyExactly a week ago, the maximum price for petrol rose 95 to 1,784 euros per liter. That is the highest level in five months, and despite a slight decrease, the diesel price also remains high. On the other hand, there are sharply decreased electricity prices. Mijnenergie.be investigated what this means for the price difference between driving on fossil fuel and driving on electricity.
Important factors
How much fuel a car uses depends on the type of car you drive, but your driving style also plays a role. Quick acceleration, speeding and maneuvering drastically increase your consumption. By driving economically, you use less fuel. In addition, the manufacturer’s theoretical estimate often deviates from actual consumption.
Calculation example
For our simulation we compare three similar Volkswagen models: the electric ID.3 (58 kWh battery), the Golf 1.5 TSI on petrol and the Golf 2.0 TDI on diesel. Please note: the figures used date from Friday, March 22, 2024, at the time of writing.
It goes without saying that an analysis is always a snapshot. A longer-term comparison is difficult, because it requires an estimate of how energy and fuel prices will evolve. For example, during the energy crisis, the consumption costs of an electric car when charging at home were much higher than today. The petrol price was significantly lower until a few months ago and expert Paul D’Hoore expects that the current surge will continue throughout the year.
Reading tip. You still pay crisis rates at public charging stations: why aren’t prices falling?
Charging at home: 4.27 euros per 100 kilometers
The most economical version of the Volkswagen ID.3 has an average consumption of 15.2 to 16.5 kilowatt hours (kWh) per 100 kilometers according to the WLTP measurement method. For a simple comparison, we assume 16 kWh per 100 kilometers.
To know how much those 100 kilometers will cost you, we have to look at two things: the current electricity rates and the method of charging. When charging at home, the consumption costs depend entirely on the current energy rates. The median price for a variable, single rate via Mijnenergie.be in Flanders today is 26.65 euro cents per kilowatt hour. At that rate, a ride of 100 kilometers will cost you 4.27 euros.
Want to get a cheaper rate? Compare current electricity prices here and find the best contract for your situation.
Public charging stations: up to 11.68 euros per 100 kilometers
You can of course also charge your car’s battery on the go. It is best to take the large price differences into account.
The Allego app shows that a fast charging on the E313 in Hasselt costs 73 euro cents per kilowatt hour. In the center of Edegem you only pay 46 euro cents per kilowatt hour. It is striking that prices have not fallen since the energy crisis. This is, for example, the case with Engie. While the charging rate was an average of 70 cents per kWh at the beginning of 2023, you can now charge your car at many locations at approximately 40 euro cents per kWh.
If we apply the rates of regular Allego charging points to the distance of 100 kilometers with the electric Volkswagen ID.3, you arrive at a total cost of 7.36 euros. Fast charging will cost you 11.68 euros per 100 kilometers.
Petrol 95: 9.46 euros per 100 kilometers
How much does a 100 kilometer drive cost in the Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI, the equivalent of the electric ID.3? The car with a petrol engine has a theoretical consumption of 5.3 liters per 100 kilometers. For a liter of Euro 95 you pay a maximum price of 1,784 euros per liter at the pump today. Total cost for 100 kilometers: 9.46 euros.
Diesel: 8.37 euros per 100 kilometers
The theoretical consumption per 100 kilometers of the Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI is 4.5 liters of diesel. Taking into account the current maximum price for diesel – 1.859 euros per liter – the total cost for a journey of that distance is 8.37 euros.
Conclusion
Due to the combination of rising diesel and petrol prices and lower electricity prices, charging at home is clearly the cheapest. Please keep in mind that this is a theoretical comparison, leaving out some practical factors. It goes without saying that owners of solar panels who may or may not also have a home battery can significantly reduce the cost of an electric charge.
Due to the capacity rate, the way you charge also affects the final balance. In addition to the financial picture that we discussed here, it is of course also best to take the purchase price of the vehicle, taxation and the ecological footprint into account in your consideration.
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Read more on Mijnenergie.be:
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After one year of capacity tariff: families with high consumption in particular reduce consumption peaks
This article was brought to you by our partner Mijnenergie.be.
Mijnenergie.be is an independent energy price comparator of electricity and gas offers.
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