EV vs Petrol vs Diesel 2026: 5-Year Total Cost of Ownership in India
A majority of Indian consumers prioritise less maintenance as they generally keep cars for a longer period of time. Thus they generally purchase those cars which have less maintenance over a longer period of time. Since EVs are evolving on the Indian streets, users are curious to know how EVs are maintained as compared to petrol and diesel cars.
Our AllAboutEVs team did a detailed 5-year Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis in order to present the financial numbers in order to make a clear decision as to which powertrain is reliable on a longer run.
Electric Vehicle vs Petrol vs Diesel Car Comparison: Assumptions
| Powertrain | Fuel Rates | On-Road Prices |
| Petrol | Rs 100/litre | Rs 15 Lakh |
| Diesel | Rs 90/Litre | Rs 16 Lakh |
| EV | Rs 11/kWh (70% Home Charging + 30% Fast Charging) | Rs 18 Lakh |
To keep things completely simple and accurate, we are comparing powertrains in a range of Rs 15-16 lakh segment driven for 12,000 Km annually (60,000 Km over the period of 5 years). Fuel rates are assumed to be Rs 100/litre for petrol, Rs 90/litre for diesel, and a blended electricity rate ranging between Rs 11/kWh.
.webp)
EV Vs Petrol Vs Diesel: Running & Maintenance Costs
When it comes to daily running, EVs are beneficial and take a massive lead as over the period of 5 years, the total costs of fueling petrol, diesel and EV cars are mentioned below.
- Petrol Car: Rs 4 Lakh
- Diesel Car: Rs 3 Lakh
- EV: Rs 1.09 Lakh
On the other hand, EVs have fewer components as it does not have engine, clutch, and complex gears, thus having a 5-year maintenance cost at just Rs 30,000. Apart from this, petrol maintenance sits at Rs 70,000 and Diesel has the highest maintenance cost at Rs 85,000.
EV Vs Petrol Vs Diesel: Insurance & Depreciation
| Powertrains | EV Insurance Premiums (5 Years) |
| EV | Rs 2.8 Lakh |
| Petrol | Rs 2.3 Lakh |
| Diesel | Rs 2.5 Lakh |
However, the biggest shocker here is depreciation as EV resale value falls down significantly due to technological advancements and battery degradation fear, providing only 40-45% of its original value. Petrol and Diesel cars provide a much healthier value at 50-55% resale value.
EV Vs Petrol Vs Diesel: The Final Verdict
Thus we calculated the net 5-year ownership cost of EV vs Petrol vs Diesel vehicles differences in cost, emissions and performance by reducing the important factors like loan EMIs, running costs, maintenance, insurance from the resale value, and the ownership costs reveal a surprising yet unexpected winner.
.webp)
- Diesel: Rs 13.45 Lakh (WINNER)
- Petrol: Rs 14.4 Lakh
- EV: Rs 14.8 Lakh
Thus with a total experience of 12,000 Km, Diesel is sure-shot a financial winner. So is buying EVs useless? Absolutely not. If your running is more than 15,000-18,000 Km per year and you charge mostly at home and plan to keep the car for a longer duration of 5-8 years, then EV is a clear winner and more affordable than Petrol or Diesel in long-term savings.
However, if you drive less than 10,000 Km in a year, save your money and stick to Diesel and let your financial data be the key factor in deciding the final choice.
.webp)
