There’s nothing like a fuel receipt to make you question your life choices and wonder why you are driving a Mini Cooper and not a Tesla instead.
This was exactly what happened to a YouTuber, who was trying to stack petrol costs against electric charging.
While the comparison started as a simple experiment, the conclusion quickly became clear.
After all, if a tiny Mini Cooper wasn’t economical enough as a gas car, nothing would be.
Even charging the Tesla at a Supercharger was cheaper
In a recent video, UK YouTuber Just Get A Tesla decided to find out how much more efficient driving an EV is compared to an ICE car.
After routinely charging his Tesla overnight at relatively low electricity rates, he jumped into a petrol-powered Mini to see how much a fill-up would cost in comparison.
The Mini Cooper, with its small 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine, delivered around 40 miles per gallon.
Just Get A Tesla
That translated to roughly £7 ($9.27) per gallon, or about 17.12 pence ($0.23) per mile.
Meanwhile, his Tesla was achieving around 4 miles per kilowatt-hour, costing just 5.4 pence ($0.07) per mile based on his home electricity rate.
And with some of the cheapest electricity deals available, that number could fall even further, with the YouTuber noting that some drivers are effectively paying as little as a penny per mile.
Just Get A Tesla
Even public charging, often considered the more expensive option for EVs, came out ahead.
“Let’s say I’d gone down the road to the Supercharger, and I had topped the car up there. That’s 40 pence a kilowatt-hour most of the time. So you’re talking 10 pence a mile,” he said.
“So the EV is still significantly cheaper.”
There’s more to driving than just cost
The YouTuber admitted there was a certain appeal to driving a small, manual petrol car compared to the sleek Tesla.
“There’s something joyous about just how direct this thing is,” he said.
Just Get A Tesla
However, that enjoyment came with a noticeable price difference, especially as fuel costs continue to rise.
While EV drivers are not completely shielded from rising costs across the economy, the takeaway was clear.
Running an electric car remains significantly cheaper in day-to-day use, even if you don’t charge it at home.
Many people in the video’s comments section seemed to agree with him.
“I’ve just bought an MG5. I’ve calculated that not buying diesel at the current rate will pay for this car in 4 or 5 years. Let that sink in,” one person said.
“Ian, I’ve had my Model Y since Last November, and have felt smug every day! I don’t feel at all guilty,” said another.
If you want to check out his full analysis, here’s the full video below:
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