The market of electric cars is growing rapidly in India. Now people are showing more interest in buying EV to avoid the rising prices of petrol and diesel. In April 2026, more than 23 thousand units of electric cars, SUVs and MPVs were sold, which is about 73 percent more than last year. It is clear from this that now people have started adopting electric vehicles seriously. But even today there is a big question in the minds of most people that how much does it cost to drive an electric car. Especially when it comes to long distances like 500 kilometers, people definitely compare it with petrol and diesel cars.
How much electricity does it take to drive 500 KM?
To understand this, let us take the example of Tata Harrier EV. This electric SUV has a battery of about 75kWh. The company claims that it can give a range of more than 600 kilometers, but in actual use it easily runs for about 500 kilometers. Now 75kWh means approximately 75 units of electricity. However, there is some power loss during charging, hence about 80 to 85 units of electricity is spent to fully charge the battery. If the electricity rate is considered to be Rs 8 per unit, then the total cost of driving 500 kilometers comes to around Rs 600 to Rs 700.
How much does a petrol and diesel car cost?
If the same distance is covered in a petrol SUV, which gives an average mileage of 15 kilometers per litre, then about 33 liters of petrol will be required for 500 kilometres. At the rate of Rs 100 per liter of petrol, the total expenditure reaches around Rs 3300. Whereas if a diesel car gives a mileage of 18 kilometers per liter, then about 28 liters of diesel will be required for 500 kilometers. At Rs 90 per liter diesel, the cost comes to more than Rs 2500.
Why are electric cars cheaper?
The running cost of an electric car is about 5 times less than that of a petrol car. Apart from this, there are no things like engine oil, clutch and gearbox in EV, hence the cost of service and maintenance is also less. If you travel long distances every day, an electric car can save a lot in the long run.
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