ADAC Analysis: Electric Cars Cheaper, Charging Electricity More Expensive - Switch Still Often Worthwhile

Electric cars are becoming cheaper, with many manufacturers reducing list prices or offering substantial discounts. At the same time, some providers are currently raising prices for charging electricity again. Many new car buyers are therefore asking themselves whether an electric vehicle is financially worthwhile. The ADAC automotive club has made a comparison between diesel, gasoline, and electric vehicles. Result: The purchase price is crucial.

The basis of comparison is always a full cost calculation, which considers not only the list price but also all operating and maintenance costs up to depreciation - by far the largest item. In a recent calculation (Autumn 2024), it shows that combustion models are often still cheaper in the overall view than their electric counterparts in terms of equipment and engine performance.

Although the purchase prices for electric vehicles have generally fallen, combustion models are still cheaper, especially in the smaller vehicle classes. The sometimes high charging costs at public stations and the currently rather moderate prices for gasoline and diesel contribute to the fact that combustion engines often fare better in terms of costs.

Already today, an iX2 is almost on par with diesel and gasoline

For example, the electric BMW iX2 eDrive20 costs just under 50,000 euros to purchase and amounts to 72.7 cents per kilometer. The combustion counterparts X2 sDrive20i (SuperPlus) and X2 sDrive18d (Diesel) are cheaper both in purchase price (47,500 and 48,000 euros, respectively) and in kilometer costs (72.0 and 68.1 cents, respectively).

The calculations (five years, 15,000 kilometers annually) are based on a diesel price of 1.58 euros, super 1.75 euros, super plus 1.84 euros, and an electricity price of 44 cents per kilowatt-hour. According to the Federal Association of Energy and Water Management (BDEW), the average German household currently pays 41.4 cents per kWh. However, ADAC experts have opted for a slightly higher price for the calculations because electric drivers also have to charge at more expensive public stations while on the road.

A low purchase price is crucial: For example, Mini

The following counterexample shows how a low purchase price affects: The electric version of the Mini Countryman amounts to 56.1 cents per kilometer, with both combustion counterparts being more than 4 cents above it. The purchase price of the electric vehicle is identical to that of the gasoline version: 36,800 euros, while the diesel is even 1,500 euros more expensive (38,300 euros).