Electric Car Cost Per Km in Australia: 20 Models Compared (2026)

EVs cost between 3 and 6 cents per km on a standard Australian grid tariff. A typical petrol car costs 14 to 16 cents per km. That gap is consistent, it applies in every Australian state, and it does not depend on any particular brand or model. The math simply favours electric driving at current electricity and fuel prices.

This article presents cost-per-km figures for 20 current Australian EVs across three electricity scenarios — standard grid rate, off-peak overnight rate, and solar surplus — and sets them alongside the petrol equivalent for each vehicle class.

EV Cost Per Km: The Full Table

The figures below use the formula: (efficiency in kWh/100km × tariff in $/kWh) ÷ 100 = cost per km in dollars.

Rates used: standard 35 c/kWh, off-peak 18 c/kWh, solar 3 c/kWh effective. Petrol comparison uses 7.5 L/100km at $2.00/L for small cars and sedans (15 c/km), and 8.5 L/100km at $2.00/L for SUVs and AWD (17 c/km).

Model	Efficiency (kWh/100km)	Standard 35c	Off-peak 18c	Solar 3c	Petrol equiv.
BYD Atto 1 Essential	13.6	4.8c	2.4c	0.4c	17c
BYD Dolphin Essential	13.2	4.6c	2.4c	0.4c	15c
BYD Atto 3 Essential	12.2	4.3c	2.2c	0.4c	17c
BYD Atto 3 Premium	12.6	4.4c	2.3c	0.4c	17c
BYD Seal Standard	13.3	4.7c	2.4c	0.4c	15c
BYD Seal AWD	14.5	5.1c	2.6c	0.4c	15c
MG4 Excite 51kWh	14.6	5.1c	2.6c	0.4c	17c
MG4 Excite 64kWh	14.2	5.0c	2.6c	0.4c	17c
MG4 XPower AWD	16.6	5.8c	3.0c	0.5c	17c
Tesla Model 3 RWD	11.7	4.1c	2.1c	0.4c	15c
Tesla Model 3 LR	12.7	4.4c	2.3c	0.4c	15c
Tesla Model Y RWD	13.4	4.7c	2.4c	0.4c	17c
Tesla Model Y LR	14.2	5.0c	2.6c	0.4c	17c
Hyundai IONIQ 5 Elite	14.7	5.1c	2.6c	0.4c	17c
Hyundai IONIQ 6 RWD	12.6	4.4c	2.3c	0.4c	15c
Kia EV6 GT-Line RWD	17.0	6.0c	3.1c	0.5c	17c
Kia EV3 Standard	13.6	4.8c	2.4c	0.4c	17c
GWM Ora Lux	14.4	5.0c	2.6c	0.4c	17c
Polestar 2 Standard	15.3	5.4c	2.8c	0.5c	15c
Volvo EX30	14.0	4.9c	2.5c	0.4c	17c

Efficiency from WLTP data. Real-world efficiency varies by driving style, speed, and conditions. Standard rate 35c/kWh, off-peak 18c/kWh, solar 3c/kWh effective. Petrol comparison at $2.00/L: 7.5L/100km for small cars and sedans, 8.5L/100km for SUVs and AWD variants.

Even the least efficient EV on this list — the Kia EV6 GT-Line at 17.0 kWh/100km — costs 6.0 cents per km at standard rates. A comparable petrol SUV costs 17 cents per km. The gap is 11 cents per kilometre. Over 15,000km per year, that is $1,650 in fuel savings annually, before any off-peak or solar optimisation.

How We Calculated These Numbers

The formula is straightforward:

(kWh/100km × tariff in $/kWh) ÷ 100 = cost per km in $

Example using the Tesla Model 3 RWD at standard rate: 11.7 kWh/100km × $0.35/kWh ÷ 100 = $0.041 per km = 4.1 cents per km

The efficiency figures in the table are WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure) ratings. WLTP is a more realistic test cycle than the older NEDC standard, but real-world consumption still varies from WLTP figures. Expect:

• City driving: typically 5–15% better than WLTP (more regenerative braking opportunities)
• Highway at 100–110km/h: typically 5–15% worse than WLTP
• Highway at 120km/h: 15–25% worse than WLTP — aerodynamic drag increases sharply with speed
• Cold weather below 10°C: 15–30% worse — battery heating and reduced chemical efficiency
• Hot weather above 35°C: 5–15% worse — cabin cooling loads

For most Australian city and suburban drivers, WLTP figures are a reasonable working estimate. For long highway trips in summer or winter, apply a 15–20% correction factor to your cost-per-km estimates.

Use our calculator for your exact driving mix

EV vs Petrol: Annual Cost Difference

The table below models annual fuel and energy costs at 15,000km per year — approximately the Australian average for private vehicle use.

Scenario	Annual fuel/energy cost
Petrol car (8L/100km, $2.00/L)	$2,400
EV, standard tariff (35c/kWh, 14kWh/100km)	$735
EV, off-peak tariff (18c/kWh, 14kWh/100km)	$378
EV, solar surplus (3c/kWh, 14kWh/100km)	$63

Annual saving vs petrol: $1,665 on standard tariff, $2,022 on off-peak, $2,337 with solar.

These figures use 14kWh/100km as a representative middle-of-range efficiency figure for a mid-size EV. More efficient vehicles (Tesla Model 3 RWD at 11.7kWh/100km) will do better; less efficient AWD variants (Kia EV6 GT-Line at 17kWh/100km) will do slightly worse.

Maintenance savings not included above. EVs have no oil changes, no timing belts, no transmission fluid, fewer brake replacements (regenerative braking reduces brake pad wear substantially), and no catalytic converter or exhaust system. Typical annual maintenance saving versus a petrol car: $500–$800 per year. Combined with fuel savings, the total annual cost advantage for an EV over a petrol car typically runs $2,200–$3,100 per year.

For a deeper breakdown of charging costs by state and scenario, see our EV charging cost guide.

How Your Tariff Affects the Numbers

The standard rate used in this article is 35c/kWh, which is approximately mid-range for Australian residential electricity in 2026. Actual rates by state:

• South Australia: 34–43c/kWh standard
• New South Wales: 31–43c/kWh standard
• Queensland: 26–34c/kWh standard
• Victoria: 26–34c/kWh standard

The variation across states means a Queensland driver pays noticeably less per km than a South Australian driver on the same vehicle and tariff type. This is worth factoring in for interstate comparisons.

Off-peak tariffs (15–22c/kWh) are available from most major retailers — AGL, Origin, EnergyAustralia, and most state-specific retailers offer EV tariffs or controlled load rates that apply overnight charging at lower rates. Switching to an off-peak EV tariff and charging overnight is the single most impactful thing most EV owners can do to reduce their cost per km. The saving versus standard rates: $200–$400 per year for an average driver.

Solar charging represents the theoretical floor. If you have rooftop solar and a solar-aware EV charger (or a smart charger with CT clamp monitoring), charging during the day on solar surplus uses energy that would otherwise be exported at a low feed-in tariff (3–8c/kWh). The effective cost is the opportunity cost of that export — approximately 3–8c/kWh depending on your feed-in rate. At 3c/kWh effective, the cost per km drops below 1 cent for most vehicles on this list.

Solar can bring your cost per km close to zero — read more in our solar EV charging guide

What Affects Real-World Efficiency

Several factors cause real-world consumption to diverge from the WLTP figures in the table above:

Speed: The single biggest factor. Aerodynamic drag increases with the square of velocity. Driving at 110km/h uses roughly 25–35% more energy than driving at 80km/h in the same vehicle. For EV owners who regularly drive long highway routes at 110km/h+, the cost-per-km figures in the table above should be adjusted upward by 15–25%.

Drivetrain configuration: AWD EVs carry a second motor and associated drivetrain components. At highway cruise, the rear motor typically powers the vehicle with the front motor effectively decoupled to reduce drag, but system losses are still higher than a pure RWD setup. Expect 10–15% higher energy consumption for AWD variants versus equivalent RWD variants — the BYD Seal comparison in the table illustrates this clearly (13.3 vs 14.5 kWh/100km, a 9% difference).

Climate control: In cold weather, battery heating draws significant energy. EVs with heat pump systems (most current models include one) manage this more efficiently than resistive electric heating — roughly 2–3× more energy-efficient for cabin heating. In hot weather, cabin cooling is an additional load, though typically smaller than cold-weather heating.

Driving style: Aggressive acceleration wastes energy that regenerative braking only partially recovers. Smooth, anticipatory driving — reading traffic and coasting to regenerate before stops — materially reduces energy consumption in city driving. Some experienced EV drivers achieve 10–15% better real-world efficiency than WLTP figures purely through driving technique.

Payload and towing: Additional weight increases rolling resistance and acceleration energy. Towing reduces EV range significantly — expect 30–50% reduction in range when towing at or near rated capacity, with corresponding increases in kWh/km.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average cost per km for an electric car in Australia?

On a standard grid tariff of 28–35 c/kWh, most Australian EVs cost 3.5–6 cents per km. On an off-peak tariff of 15–22 c/kWh, that drops to 2–3.5 cents per km. On solar surplus (effectively 0–5 c/kWh), EV running costs can be under 1 cent per km. Compare this to a petrol car using 8 L/100 km at $2.00 per litre: 16 cents per km.

Which EV has the lowest cost per km in Australia?

On efficiency alone, the Tesla Model 3 RWD leads at 11.7 kWh/100 km — the lowest in its class. At 35 c/kWh, that’s 4.1 cents per km. The BYD Atto 3 Essential is also impressive at 12.2 kWh/100 km. Larger AWD vehicles like the Kia EV6 GT-Line (17.0 kWh/100 km) and MG4 XPower AWD (16.6 kWh/100 km) cost noticeably more per km due to AWD drivetrain losses.

How much does an EV save vs a petrol car per year?

At 15,000 km per year: a typical EV on a standard 30 c/kWh tariff costs roughly $630/yr in electricity. A petrol car at 8 L/100 km and $2.00/L costs $2,400/yr in fuel. That’s a saving of $1,770/yr. On an off-peak tariff (18 c/kWh), the saving grows to $1,980/yr. With solar charging, you save close to the full $2,400.

Does AWD affect EV running cost?

Yes, significantly. AWD EVs typically use 15–25% more energy per km than their RWD equivalents due to the additional motor and drivetrain losses. The BYD Seal Standard (13.3 kWh/100 km, RWD) vs BYD Seal AWD (14.5 kWh/100 km, AWD) shows this directly — about 9% more energy per km for the AWD model. On a 15,000 km year at 35 c/kWh, that difference costs around $60/yr.

How do I reduce my EV cost per km?

Switch to an off-peak overnight tariff (15–22 c/kWh) — most major retailers offer these. If you have solar, use a solar-aware charger to maximise self-consumption during the day. Adjust your driving style: highway speeds above 100 km/h increase energy consumption significantly compared to city driving. Combining all three (off-peak + solar + moderate highway speeds) can reduce your cost to under 2 cents per km on most vehicles.

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For a full breakdown of what charging an EV costs in Australia by state and tariff type, see our EV charging cost guide. For the most affordable EVs on this list, see our cheapest electric car Australia guide. To model your personal annual savings, use our EV charging cost calculator.