£50 saving a month: EVs shield UK drivers from rising oil prices

Petrol car drivers in the UK are around four times more exposed to energy price shocks than electric vehicle (EV) drivers, as new analysis highlights the growing economic and security advantages of going electric.

When petrol prices started increasing earlier this year, running a petrol car cost around £0.17 per mile, compared to just £0.01 per mile for home EV charging. On average, UK drivers are now paying £109 to fill up a petrol car, versus £59 to charge an EV.

The findings come as carmakers step up pressure on the government to bring forward a review of the ZEV mandate and slow the shift to electric vehicles, a move that risks locking in greater dependence on volatile fossil fuels at precisely the wrong moment for UK energy security.

“These figures expose a simple truth: electric vehicles are not just cleaner, they are cheaper to run and far less exposed to global energy shocks. While petrol drivers remain at the mercy of volatile oil markets, EV drivers benefit from greater stability and lower costs. Accelerating the transition is essential for the UK’s economic resilience and escaping the chokehold that hostile regimes have on UK drivers’’. added Tim Dexter.

Diesel drivers are even more exposed to energy price shocks, facing costs up to nine times higher than EV drivers. In early April, running a diesel car reached £0.21 per mile, significantly above the 2025 average of £0.16 per mile. This gap is reflected in monthly costs, with EV drivers spending on average £71 less to charge than diesel drivers spend on fuel, a stark illustration of the financial advantage and resilience electric vehicles offer in an increasingly volatile energy landscape.

‘’It’s not in the UK’s interests to slow down now especially when interest in EV sales is at an all time high. The ZEV mandate must remain stable, and the government should focus on supporting the most vulnerable households and businesses to switch and escape petrol price spikes for good,” said Tim Dexter, T&E UK’s Vehicles Policy Manager.

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