Hybrid, plug-in or electric: which costs less?
Not ready to go fully electric? See what Australia's best-selling hybrids and plug-in hybrids cost to run, and how they stack up against EVs once price, fuel, charging, servicing and tyres are added up.
Hybrid or plug-in?
Hybrid
Never plugs in. A small battery recovers energy from braking and cuts fuel use to about 4–5 L/100 km. Fill up at any servo.
Plug-in hybrid
Charge it from a normal power point overnight and the first 60–110 km or so of each day is electric. After that it runs on petrol. No wallbox needed.
Popular hybrids and plug-ins
Sorted by price. Running cost assumes 250 km a week in NSW; plug-ins are charged at home most nights.
Running costs at a glance
| Car | Fuel use or electric range | Running / week (NSW) | 5-year cost to own |
|---|---|---|---|
| MG · HybridZS Hybrid+ Excite | 4.7 L/100 km | $28.06 | $39,685 |
| Toyota · HybridCorolla Hybrid Ascent Sport | 4 L/100 km | $23.88 | $44,609 |
| GWM · HybridHaval Jolion Hybrid Premium | 4.8 L/100 km | $28.66 | $43,631 |
| Toyota · HybridCorolla Cross Hybrid GX | 4.2 L/100 km | $25.07 | $50,634 |
| Geely · Plug-inStarray EM-i Complete | 83 km electric | $22.50 | $50,291 |
| Toyota · HybridCamry Hybrid Ascent | 4 L/100 km | $23.88 | $52,774 |
| Jaecoo · Plug-inJ7 Super Hybrid Track | 100 km electric | $19.48 | $48,459 |
| Chery · Plug-inTiggo 7 Super Hybrid Urban | 93 km electric | $20.49 | $48,236 |
| BYD · Plug-inSealion 6 Essential | 92 km electric | $20.70 | $55,872 |
| GWM · Plug-inHaval H6 PHEV Lux | 106 km electric | $19.64 | $53,665 |
| Toyota · HybridRAV4 Hybrid GX 2WD | 4.5 L/100 km | $26.86 | $59,755 |
| MG · Plug-inHS Super Hybrid Excite | 120 km electric | $21.65 | $56,670 |
| BYD · Plug-inShark 6 Premium | 100 km electric | $30.56 | $74,425 |
| Mitsubishi · Plug-inOutlander PHEV ES | 86 km electric | $26.71 | $73,145 |
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.
Common questions
Is a hybrid or an EV cheaper to run?
Per week an EV charged at home is usually cheaper. Driving 250 km a week, a frugal hybrid uses about $23.88 of petrol in NSW, while most EVs cost $13–20 to charge mostly at home. Over several years the purchase price matters more, so compare the total cost to own.
What's the difference between a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid?
A regular hybrid charges its small battery from the engine and braking, and never plugs in. A plug-in hybrid (PHEV) has a much bigger battery you charge at home, good for roughly 80–140 km of electric driving, then it carries on as a petrol hybrid.
Is a plug-in hybrid worth it?
Only if you plug it in. Charged at home most nights, a typical PHEV does most daily driving on electricity and runs for about the same weekly cost as an EV. Never charged, it's a heavy petrol SUV using 5.5–8 L/100 km.
Do plug-in hybrids need a home charger?
No. Their batteries are small enough to refill overnight from a normal power point, so you save the $2,000 or so a wallbox costs.
Which is better for long trips?
Hybrids and plug-ins refuel anywhere in a few minutes, which suits regular long country trips. EVs suit people who mostly drive around town and can charge at home.
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: ACCC average retail unleaded prices in each capital city, week to 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.
- 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.