It's a myth that electric cars are always the cheapest. Yet many drivers believe that driving on electricity is almost free compared to gasoline.
A new test conducted by the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet proves that an electric car is not always the cheapest solution when driving long distances.
The test challenges the common perception that the electric car is by definition always the most economical means of transport on longer trips.
This is a widespread misconception, as Nils Svärd, journalist at the media outlet Vi Bilägare, highlights.
"Many people think that the electric car is the cheapest, but that's not always the case on long trips," he says. Several factors affect the total price of a long trip in an electric car.
The price of charging is absolutely crucial. Even though the price of electricity for electric cars has generally fallen, there can be significant price differences between different charging stations and providers.
Fast charging is as expensive as diesel
For example, by using digital tools that compare and find the cheapest charging solutions on the trip.
For owners of an electric car, it can therefore be an advantage to compare prices. A Norwegian test from NAF, which corresponds to FDM in Denmark, also shows that it is now as expensive to fast charge as to fill up with diesel.
Driving style, i.e. how you drive a car, also has a direct impact on energy consumption and thus the range of an electric car.
Speed in particular plays a role; by reducing the cruising speed from 110 km/h to 90 km/h, consumption can be reduced by up to 20 percent. But the same can be said for both petrol and diesel cars.
For those who drive long distances very often, charging subscriptions may be an option. However, this typically requires a significant need to drive long distances for the subscription to be paid for.
Aftonbladet's test itself involved a direct comparison of five cars: two electric cars, two gasoline cars and a single diesel car.
Each car covered a distance of 1,130 kilometers. The aim was to determine which type of car had the lowest operating costs on the specific route.
The results showed that a gasoline-powered Suzuki Swift and an electric car, the Kia EV3 model, ended up having exactly the same cost of 1,059 kroner for the entire trip.
They were thus the cheapest in this specific test.
This illustrates that the most economical solution for long-distance travel depends on specific circumstances, and that an electric car is not automatically the cheapest choice in all circumstances.
Varying charging costs and individual behavior behind the wheel are decisive factors for overall economy.
