Birmingham's Clean Air Zone

If you are considering buying a new car, you should consider the costs over the lifetime of the vehicle. The upfront cost of a diesel or petrol car may be lower than that of an equivalent electric vehicle, but the cost of running an electric car is much lower. The Government also subsidises the purchase of some electric vehicles and offer grants for installing home charging points.

The table below compares the annual running costs of a typical Euro 6 diesel and petrol car (first registered in 2017), Euro 4 petrol car (first registered in 2007) and an electric car. It shows that a car owner driving the average 7,800 miles per year would save over £1,000 in fuel and taxes each year with an electric car compared to an old Euro 4 petrol car and would prevent the emission of over two tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The Go Ultra Low website has information about what electric and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles are available and allows you to perform cost calculations based on your exact mileage and vehicle.