EV vs hybrid vs plug-in hybrid: which is cheaper?
It depends on your budget and where you can charge. Charged at home, a typical EV costs about $14.91 a week to run, a plug-in hybrid about $21.74 and a regular hybrid about $31.04 in fuel (250 km a week, NSW). Over 5 years the purchase price matters most. The cheapest to own under $40,000 is the MG3 Hybrid+ (hybrid); from $40,000 to $50,000 it's the GWM Haval H6 PHEV (plug-in hybrid); from $50,000 to $65,000 it's the GWM Haval H6 GT PHEV (plug-in hybrid).
The cheapest of each type at every budget
The lowest 5-year cost to own in each price range, counting the price, a home charger for EVs, charging or fuel, servicing and tyres. Green is the cheapest in the row.
| List price | Cheapest EV | Cheapest hybrid | Cheapest plug-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $40,000 | BYD Atto 1 Essential$37,424 over 5 yrs | MG3 Hybrid+ Excite$37,304 over 5 yrs | BYD Sealion 5 Essential$46,154 over 5 yrs |
| $40,000–$50,000 | Hyundai Kona Electric Standard Range$55,276 over 5 yrs | Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Hybrid FWD$58,412 over 5 yrs | GWM Haval H6 PHEV Lux$53,665 over 5 yrs |
| $50,000–$65,000 | Kia EV3 Air$65,433 over 5 yrs | Kia Sorento Hybrid S FWD$72,952 over 5 yrs | GWM Haval H6 GT PHEV Ultra Hi4 AWD$62,193 over 5 yrs |
Cost to own = price (plus about $4,000 on-road costs where the price is before on-roads) + a home wallbox for EVs (about $2,000, one-off) + charging or fuel + scheduled servicing + tyres. It leaves out insurance, registration and resale value, which vary too much by person and car to estimate fairly. Resale value is the biggest unknown, especially for newer brands.
How far you drive changes the answer
Three similarly priced cars over 5 years. The more you drive, the more an EV's cheap running costs count. Plug-in hybrids do best when daily trips fit inside their electric range.
| Driving | Hyundai Kona Electric (EV) | Kia Sportage Hybrid (hybrid) | GWM Haval H6 PHEV (plug-in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 km a week | $52,975 | $56,845 | $51,051 |
| 250 km a week | $55,276 | $61,385 | $53,665 |
| 400 km a week | $59,320 | $69,146 | $58,414 |
Which suits you?
- Choose an EV if you can charge at home and mostly drive around town. It has the lowest running costs and the fewest moving parts to service.
- Choose a plug-in hybrid if you can plug in at home most nights but regularly drive long country trips. Most daily driving is electric, with petrol as backup, and no wallbox needed.
- Choose a regular hybrid if you can't charge at home. Relying on public chargers would add about $3,104 to the Hyundai Kona Electric's charging bill over 5 years, and a plug-in you never charge uses about $35.82 a week in petrol.
Compare specific cars
Every car has its own page with costs by state, and Compare ranks all of them together using your own driving. Browse EVs or hybrids and plug-ins.
Common questions
Is an EV cheaper than a hybrid in Australia?
Week to week, yes if you charge at home: about $14.91 a week for a typical EV against $31.04 in fuel for a typical hybrid, driving 250 km in NSW. Over 5 years, compare cars at the same price, because the purchase price is the biggest cost.
Is a plug-in hybrid worth it?
Only if you charge it. Plugged in at home most nights, a typical plug-in hybrid costs about $21.74 a week to run. Never charged, it's a heavy petrol car using around 5.5–8 L/100 km.
What if I can't charge at home?
A regular hybrid is usually the cheaper choice. Public fast charging costs about 59–79c per kWh, roughly double home charging, which wipes out much of an EV's running-cost advantage.
Do hybrids or EVs cost more to service?
EVs generally have simpler, cheaper servicing, though intervals vary by brand. Each car's page shows its servicing cost per year.
More guides
How we work it out
Weekly cost is the car's claimed energy use (kWh per 100 km) × your distance × your electricity price. "Per week" figures on this site assume 250 km a week with 90% of charging at home. Petrol comparisons use the fuel use and price you choose. Prices are list prices at October 2026 and change often; check with the dealer.
- Electricity: 2026–27 default or regulated flat rates from the AER Default Market Offer (NSW, SE QLD, SA), Victorian Default Offer, Aurora Energy (TAS), Jacana Energy (NT), Synergy (WA) and ActewAGL (ACT).
- Public charging: Sydney survey of Chargefox, Evie, NRMA, Tesla and BP Pulse prices, July 2026.
- Car specs and prices: manufacturer figures as published by CarExpert, AEVA EV fact sheets, Drive and EV Central's car guide. Some prices are the publisher's estimates; check with a dealer.
- Servicing: published capped-price schedules (BYD Sealion 7, BYD Seal, Geely EX5, Jaecoo J5 EV, Kia EV5, Zeekr 7X). Tesla has no fixed service schedule and CarExpert's EV servicing comparison. Where a model's pricing isn't published yet we use the brand's nearest model and mark it as an estimate.
- Tyres: RACV puts EV tyre life at 20,000–40,000 km; replacement set prices from Gridly's 2026 EV tyre cost guide.
- Petrol and diesel: ACCC average retail unleaded and diesel prices in each capital city, 21 October 2026 (ACCC weekly fuel price monitoring).
- Plug-in hybrids: prices, battery sizes and claimed electric range from CarExpert, Cars24, Zecar and The Beep. Real-world electric range is taken as 80% of the claim; plug-ins charged at home each night are assumed to do up to 85% of driving on electricity. Petrol use with a flat battery is our estimate from reviews where makers don't publish one.
- Diesel utes and SUVs: claimed combined fuel use and prices from CarExpert, 4X4 Australia and CarSauce. The HiLux automatic and Prado are 48-volt mild-hybrid diesels; their small battery assists the engine but can't drive the car on its own.
- Hybrids: claimed fuel use, prices and capped-price servicing as published by CarExpert and CarsGuide. Petrol and hybrid tyres usually last 40,000–60,000 km (RACV); we use 50,000 km.
- Home chargers: typically $1,000–$3,000 installed, about $2,000 typical (What's the Damage, October 2026).
- Novated lease rules: PwC summary of the May 2026 FBT changes.