Using October 2026 AA Ireland fuel prices, a petrol car consuming an assumed 6.5 litres per 100 km costs about €12.88 in fuel per 100 km. An EV consuming an assumed 16 kWh at the battery per 100 km costs about €1.93 on the 10.88c/kWh charging-rate example below, allowing for an illustrative 90% charging efficiency. These are energy-cost scenarios, not a total ownership-cost comparison.
Which prices and consumption figures are used?
AA Ireland’s October 2026 survey lists petrol at 198.16c/litre and diesel at 214.76c/litre. Those are national survey figures, not a promise of the price at your filling station. The page was checked on 30 October 2026.
Electric Ireland’s Night Boost page displays 10.88c/kWh boost and 37.60c/kWh day rates including VAT and a 5.5% discount. Eligibility, other bill charges and offer conditions apply. These examples are not a recommendation to switch or a whole-market cheapest-price claim.
The consumption inputs below are illustrative: petrol 6.5 litres/100 km, diesel 5.5 litres/100 km, EV 16 battery kWh/100 km and home charging efficiency 90%. They are not measurements of equivalent cars. Change them for the actual vehicles and journeys you want to compare.
How much does each option cost per 100 km?
| Scenario | Calculation | Per 100 km |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 6.5 litres × €1.9816 | €12.88 |
| Diesel | 5.5 litres × €2.1476 | €11.81 |
| EV on boost rate | 16 ÷ 0.90 × €0.1088 | €1.93 |
| EV on day rate | 16 ÷ 0.90 × €0.3760 | €6.68 |
Dividing by 0.90 converts battery energy to supply energy for the assumed efficiency. Real losses and consumption vary with vehicle, temperature, speed and charging conditions. Do not add a second loss allowance if your input already measures electricity at the meter.
Will all charging fit the cheap window?
Not necessarily. The cited Night Boost window is two hours, 02:00–04:00. Vehicle limits, load management and the size of a top-up can leave some energy outside it. Price those remaining units at the applicable rate. Compare EV electricity plans and whole-house costs before choosing a tariff.
How do you calculate an annual comparison?
Multiply the unrounded per-100-km result by annual kilometres divided by 100. For an illustrative 15,000 km year, the petrol example is about €1,932 in fuel. The EV example is about €290 if all supply energy receives the boost rate, or €1,003 at the stated day rate. These are conditional calculations, not a forecast of annual savings.
For a mixed charging pattern, weight home and public charging by their actual energy and prices. Check the public network’s current tariff, membership, session or overstay charges separately. A low home rate is not the price of every charging session.
What costs are excluded?
Vehicle purchase, finance, depreciation, insurance, servicing, tyres, motor tax, installation and extra public-network fees are outside this energy comparison. Standing charges and wider household tariff effects also need separate review. SEAI’s ownership-cost guidance explains why fuel alone is not the full decision.
- If you already have an EV, use the calculator with actual mileage, consumption and tariff figures.
- If you compare cars, use comparable real-world consumption and include ownership costs.
- If you need home charging, check the upfront installed price and conditional grant eligibility separately from running costs.
Prices checked 30 October 2026. Calculations use unrounded inputs, with displayed totals rounded to cents or whole euros as stated.