New research reveals that powering cars with alternative fuels is 79 per cent more expensive than using an electric vehicle. The study, conducted by Transport & Environment (T&E), found that charging an electric car costs an average of €7 (£6.07) per 100 kilometres driven in the European Union. In contrast, using pure hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) to cover the same distance would cost €13 (£11.28).
Advanced Biofuels Not Scalable
T&E warned that there are not enough advanced biofuels to go around, making them an impractical solution for mass adoption. Émilie Casteignau Bernardini, vehicles policy manager at T&E, stated: "Charging an EV is far cheaper than filling up a tank on advanced biofuels. By promoting biofuels for cars, the car industry wants to leave drivers with the bill while it delays electrification."
She added that maintaining EU targets will ensure an increasing supply of more affordable EVs and avoid expensive diversions into HVO and other biofuels that cannot be scaled sustainably.
Electric Cars Now Cheaper Than Petrol
The findings come as new electric cars now cost less on average than new petrol cars, according to data from Autotrader. The average price of a brand-new electric car is £42,620, compared with £43,405 for a brand-new petrol car. Bex Kennett, performance director at Autotrader, commented: "The electric car market is becoming increasingly competitive, and despite the challenges created by the ZEV mandate, manufacturers and retailers have worked hard to improve both the supply and affordability of new electric vehicles."
She noted that government support, such as the Electric Car Grant, alongside significant discounting earlier this year, has brought EV prices down. Meanwhile, geopolitical uncertainty, including the situation in Iran, has pushed fuel costs and energy security back to the forefront of buyers' minds, driving increased interest in both new and used electric cars.
