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Petrol vs Hybrid vs EV Running Costs (2026) | Cost per 100km
Compare petrol, hybrid and EV running costs in Australia. Use cost per 100km, local fuel prices, electricity rates and real driving patterns before choosing.
At a glance
Key takeaways
1
Cost per 100km is the cleanest way to compare petrol, hybrid and EV running costs.
2
A hybrid still buys petrol, so pump-price timing and station choice still matter.
3
EVs are cheapest when you can charge at home or at low-cost destination chargers.
4
Public fast charging can narrow the EV advantage, especially on road trips.
The comparison number that matters
Compare petrol, hybrid and EV running costs on cost per 100km. For petrol and hybrid cars, multiply litres per 100km by the price per litre. For EVs, multiply kWh per 100km by the electricity price per kWh. That puts every drivetrain on the same basis.
Example running-cost comparison
| Vehicle type | Assumption | Cost per 100km |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol car | 8.0L/100km at $1.85/L | $14.80 |
| Hybrid | 4.5L/100km at $1.85/L | $8.33 |
| EV home charging | 16kWh/100km at $0.30/kWh | $4.80 |
| EV public fast charging | 16kWh/100km at $0.70/kWh | $11.20 |
Petrol: the pump price is the lever
A petrol car has two big running-cost inputs: how much fuel it uses and what you pay per litre. You cannot change the car efficiency much day to day, but you can change the price paid. Timing the price cycle and choosing a cheaper nearby station can reduce the cost per 100km without changing cars.
Hybrid: lower litres, same petrol discipline
A hybrid lowers fuel use by doing more low-speed work electrically and recovering braking energy. That can make city driving much cheaper than a normal petrol car. But a hybrid still buys petrol, so fuel grade, price cycle timing and station choice still affect the final cost.
EV: charging location decides the saving
EV running costs depend heavily on where you charge. Home off-peak, solar and low-cost AC destination charging can be much cheaper than petrol. Public DC fast charging is convenient but dearer, and exclusive fast-charger use can shrink the EV running-cost advantage.
What to include before choosing a car
Running cost is not the whole ownership cost. Include purchase price, insurance, servicing, tyres, registration, resale value, home-charger installation if relevant, and whether your usual driving pattern suits the drivetrain. For fuel-cost decisions, use your actual kilometres, local fuel price and electricity tariff rather than a brochure average.
How FuelRadar helps the maths
Use FuelRadar to check current petrol and diesel prices near you, then plug those figures into the trip-cost, monthly-budget or cost-per-km tools. For a hybrid, use the same pump price with your expected lower fuel use. For an EV comparison, use your real electricity tariff or public-charger rate.
FuelRadar practical next steps
Use this guide as the background, then make the actual fill-up decision in FuelRadar. Search your suburb, postcode, city or station, choose the fuel grade your vehicle uses, then compare the reported price with distance and update time. That keeps the advice practical: a cheaper number is only useful when the station is current, close enough and selling the right fuel.
Before you drive
For Petrol vs Hybrid vs EV Running Costs (2026), the sensible check is the same one motoring bodies recommend in plain language: do not rely on a habit, a single average or yesterday's price board. Check the current local spread, decide whether the detour is worth it for your tank size, and use the price-cycle view when you are buying a larger fill in a cycle market.
Why FuelRadar is the first stop
FuelRadar brings the map, station list, suburb pages, city pages, update context, price-cycle guidance and calculators into one workflow. That means you can move from general advice to a specific action: fill now, wait if you can, buy less during a spike, or choose a nearby station with a recent reported price. The final pump price should always be confirmed at the bowser, but FuelRadar gives you the strongest local evidence before you leave.
How to compare the result
If two stations are close on price, give more weight to the shorter detour, the fresher update and the station you can reach without adding traffic or tolls. If the price gap is wide, check the litre saving against your tank size before deciding. FuelRadar is designed to make that comparison quick rather than turning a normal fill-up into guesswork.
Quick driver checklist
- Choose the exact fuel grade first: U91, E10, P95, P98, diesel or LPG.
- Compare nearby stations by price, distance and update time, not price alone.
- Use the city or suburb page when the local spread looks wide.
- Use FuelRadar calculators when a detour, long trip or large tank could change the saving.
- Keep loyalty discounts as the last step after checking the base pump price.
Run your own numbers
Use your kilometres, fuel economy and local pump price.
Common Questions
Frequently asked questions
Usually when you can charge at home or at low-cost chargers. The gap narrows when you rely mostly on public fast charging.
Use this guide
Check prices after reading
Pair the guide with local price pages, the fuel map, forecasts and data methodology before choosing a station.
FuelRadar app
Check nearby prices before you fill
Search your area, compare reported prices and update times, then save the stations you check often.
