Electric vs petrol: which offers the best value?
For years, electric vehicles - or EVs as they're now known - were infamous for being too expensive and too impractical for everyday use. However, today, the EV landscape has changed beyond all recognition. Not only are the latest cars practical, comfortable and safe, they're also affordable.
Take the Nissan Leaf for example; it's attractive, practical and fitted with all the accessories you'd find in any modern car. It packs a punch too, with its 109PS electric motor which will propel it from 0-62mph in 11.5 seconds. But how does it compare with its petrol-powered rivals?
We've used our Fuel Calculator to crunch the numbers and compare a Leaf in Visia trim to its 10 rival petrol powered cars over 10,000 miles. We've also factored in the London Congestion Charge to see how each car compares in the capital.
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Nissan Leaf comparison
Initial extra cost £2590
Annual saving £688
Miles to break even 37,625 miles
Days to break even 1373 days
Compared with the 1.2 petrol A3 Sportback, the Nissan Leaf is £2590 more expensive to buy and takes a around 37,625 miles to break even or 1373 days. However, once the three year(ish) wait is over the Leaf will save its owner £688 a year, compared to the Audi A3..
However, if you live in London, it becomes a very different story and those numbers fall drastically when you factor in the Congestion Charge, with the Leaf taking just 9389 miles or less than a year to pay for itself.
