Electric vehicle vs petrol vs diesel: Which car is the best for you?

Car buyers often focus on price. However, maintenance, fuel costs, and repairs also influence decisions. Petrol cars are generally cheaper than diesel, and electric cars are the most expensive. However, electric vehicles have lower maintenance costs compared to petrol and diesel cars.

Tata Motors, Hyundai, Mahindra, Volkswagen and MG Motors produce petrol, diesel, and electric vehicles. Toyota manufactures hybrid and electric vehicles, while Honda produces hybrid and petrol cars.

Significant Price Differences

Petrol and diesel cars are cheaper than electric vehicles. For example, the base model of Tata Nexon's petrol version costs Rs 8 lakhs, while the diesel version costs Rs10 lakhs. The electric version costs Rs 12.5 lakhs. While the petrol version seems attractive, consider maintenance costs before deciding.

Maintenance Costs

While petrol and diesel cars are cheaper, their maintenance is higher. Petrol costs around Rs 107/liter, and diesel around Rs 96/liter. Petrol cars offer 17-21 km/liter mileage, while diesel cars offer 20-25 km/liter. This translates to Rs 6-7/km for petrol and Rs 4/km for diesel. Electric vehicles cost only Rs 0.50-0.80/km.

Petrol and diesel cars have higher maintenance (servicing, oil changes) than electric vehicles. However, electric vehicle battery issues can be expensive. Warranty and insurance are beneficial. Electric vehicles lack charging points and require 4-5 hours to charge, unlike petrol/diesel cars. Consider your budget, maintenance, and future trends before choosing.