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Other UK calculators & the sources behind the defaults

+ + + diff --git a/should-i-buy-an-ev-uk-2026.html b/should-i-buy-an-ev-uk-2026.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3edd57c --- /dev/null +++ b/should-i-buy-an-ev-uk-2026.html @@ -0,0 +1,363 @@ + + + + + + Should I Buy an EV in the UK? (Honest 2026 Guide) + + + + + + + + + +
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+ + EV or not? +

Keep it, or switch? See the real cost.

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+ Use the free calculator → +
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Should I buy an EV in the UK in 2026?

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Updated June 2026 · 8 min read · + Try the free TCO calculator +

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The short answer

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  • High mileage + home charging? EVs usually win on total cost within 3–5 years.
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  • Low mileage or no driveway? The case is weaker — public rapid charging costs erode the savings.
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  • Home solar too? Running costs can fall to near-zero per mile. One of the clearest wins in personal finance for a UK homeowner.
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  • The honest answer for your situation: plug your numbers into the calculator below.
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The numbers that actually decide it

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+ The EV debate tends to get stuck on range anxiety and charging speed. The more important + question for most UK drivers is simpler: what will it cost me over the next 5–7 + years compared with what I drive now? +

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Three numbers dominate that answer:

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  1. + How many miles you drive per year. More miles means more fuel saving, + which pays back the higher purchase price faster. +
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  2. + Whether you can charge at home. Overnight home charging on an EV + tariff typically costs 25–30p/kWh. Public rapid chargers typically run 75–85p/kWh. + That threefold gap is the single biggest swing factor in the whole decision. +
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  3. + What you're comparing against. Keeping a paid-off car avoids + depreciation costs; switching to a new EV means absorbing them. A fair comparison + includes both sides. +
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Running costs: EV vs petrol and diesel in 2026

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+ Here is a rough comparison at typical 2026 UK pump and tariff prices, + for a driver covering 10,000 miles a year: +

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Scenariop/mile (running)Fuel/electricity per year
Petrol, 40 MPG, £1.40/L15.9p~£1,590
Diesel, 50 MPG, £1.45/L13.2p~£1,320
EV, 4 mi/kWh, home charging 27p/kWh6.8p~£675
EV, 4 mi/kWh, public rapid 79p/kWh19.8p~£1,975
EV + solar (70% solar at ~0p/kWh)~2p~£200
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+ Illustrative 2026 figures. Replace with your own tariff and real-world efficiency numbers — + the calculator lets you do exactly that. +

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+ The home charging rule: If you can plug in overnight at home, + an EV's running costs are roughly half those of a comparable petrol car. + If you rely mainly on public rapid chargers, running costs can be higher + than petrol — the total-cost case then rests entirely on depreciation and servicing. +

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The solar panel factor

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+ If you have (or are planning) home solar panels, the economics shift dramatically. + Solar electricity costs close to 0p per kWh for cars charged during the day — or + a few pence per kWh when drawn from a home battery overnight. At those rates, + even a modest EV can cost 2–4p per mile to run, against 14–20p + for petrol. +

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+ The combined EV + solar setup is one of the clearest wins in personal finance + for a UK homeowner with decent annual mileage — but it needs upfront capital for both. + Running the calculator with a realistic solar charging mix shows you exactly how + quickly that capital pays back. +

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Upfront cost and depreciation

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+ New EVs still carry a premium over equivalent petrol cars, though the gap has narrowed + considerably. The used EV market — particularly ex-lease cars — fell sharply in value + between 2022 and 2024, making quality second-hand EVs much more accessible heading + into 2026. +

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+ Depreciation matters as much as the sticker price. What the car will be worth in + five years affects your total cost just as the purchase price does. The calculator + uses a reducing-balance depreciation model: enter your purchase price and a realistic + annual depreciation rate, and it works out the true lifetime cost on both sides. +

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+ The kept-car trap: Keeping a paid-off car feels free, but it + is not — it still has a value that is depreciating, plus rising repair risk as + it ages. A fair comparison captures this, not just the fuel bill. + The calculator includes both. +

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Road tax (VED) — what changed in April 2025

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+ EVs registered before April 2025 paid £0 per year in Vehicle Excise Duty. + From April 2025, all new EVs pay the standard annual rate (£195/yr as of 2025–26), + and any EV with a list price above £40,000 pays the expensive-car supplement + for years two through six (~£620/yr on top). This reduces the cost advantage + over petrol but does not eliminate it — petrol and diesel cars also pay VED, + and older diesels may face Clean Air Zone charges on top. +

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Source: gov.uk VED rate tables.

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Servicing

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+ EVs have significantly fewer moving parts than internal combustion engine vehicles: + no oil changes, no timing belt, no exhaust system. Regenerative braking also reduces + brake wear considerably. The Energy Saving Trust + estimates EV servicing costs are meaningfully lower than for equivalent petrol or + diesel cars over a typical ownership period. +

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Insurance

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+ EVs tend to cost more to insure than comparable petrol cars. The main reasons: + expensive battery packs, a smaller pool of specialist repairers, and longer + repair turnaround times after accidents. According to the + Association of British Insurers + and Thatcham Research, + premiums can be 10–25% higher than for comparable ICE vehicles, though this + varies widely by model and insurer. Factor it in as a fixed annual cost when + doing a like-for-like comparison. +

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When buying an EV clearly makes sense

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When petrol — or keeping what you have — might still win

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What do the numbers say for your situation?

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+ Plug in your mileage, your current car's value, the EV you are considering, + and your electricity and fuel prices. The calculator works out the break-even + year, pence-per-mile, and total cost over any horizon you choose — all in + your browser, nothing stored or shared. +

+ Run the free EV cost calculator → +
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Sources and further reading

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