Electric vs fuel, per month
What an EV costs per km
Charged at home, an electric car costs about ₹1 to ₹1.5 per km and an electric scooter about ₹0.15 to ₹0.40 per km. A petrol car runs about ₹5.5 to ₹7 per km and a petrol scooter ₹2 to ₹2.50. The gap comes from electricity: a home unit costs ₹6 to ₹9 in most states, and a car uses 15 to 18 units for 100 km.
| Vehicle | Typical energy use | Electric, home charging | Petrol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scooter | 1.5 to 2 units for 50 km | ₹0.15 to ₹0.40 per km | ₹2 to ₹2.50 per km |
| Car | 15 to 18 units per 100 km | ₹1 to ₹1.5 per km | ₹5.5 to ₹7 per km |
| Auto or cargo 3-wheeler | 8 kWh for about 145 km (certified) | ₹0.40 to ₹0.70 per km | ₹1.80 to ₹2.50 per km (CNG) |
Home charging vs public fast charging
Where you charge changes the answer. Public DC fast chargers charge about ₹15 to ₹26 a unit, roughly three times the home rate, which can push a car to ₹2.5 to ₹4 per km. That is still cheaper than petrol, but the gap narrows. If most of your charging happens at home or at work, you get the low figures above.
Charging from your own solar
A kW of rooftop solar makes about 120 units a month. A car driving 40 km a day uses roughly 200 units a month, so about 1.5 to 2 kW of solar covers it, as long as the car charges in daylight or your net meter credits the daytime units. The calculator works this out for your distance.
Switching a fleet
Electric commercial vehicles are the fastest growing EV segment in India. Retail sales reached a record 4,702 units in August 2026, up 188% on a year earlier. For vans and three-wheelers that run 100 km or more a day, the lower cost per km pays back the higher price fastest. Enter the number of vehicles in the calculator’s optional details to see a fleet total.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home?
At ₹8 a unit, a car using 15 to 18 units per 100 km costs about ₹1.20 to ₹1.45 per km, or ₹1,700 to ₹2,200 a month for 1,500 km.
Is an EV cheaper than petrol if I use public chargers?
Yes, but by less. Fast chargers cost ₹15 to ₹26 a unit, which puts a car at about ₹2.5 to ₹4 per km against ₹5.5 to ₹7 for petrol.
How much solar do I need to charge an EV?
Divide the units your EV uses in a month by 120. A car covering 1,200 km a month needs about 200 units, so roughly 1.5 to 2 kW of rooftop solar.
Read the full comparison: EV vs petrol in 2026: what it really costs per km.
The formulas and sources behind this calculator are on how we calculate.