Why one scenario doesn't fit every car
The calculator's single comparison is a fair, honest worked example, but it's still one EV against one petrol car. A small EV hatchback and a large electric SUV don't use anywhere near the same energy per kilometre, and the same is true on the petrol side: an i30-class hatch and a LandCruiser-class 4WD aren't burning fuel at the same rate either. Pricing two real models in each of three vehicle sizes, instead of one model standing in for the whole class, shows whether the EV advantage holds up across the market, or whether it's really just a Model 3 story.
Every figure below, electric, petrol and diesel, is an official Green Vehicle Guide (greenvehicleguide.gov.au) combined-cycle test result for two real models sold in Australia in each size class, the same government test standard behind every energy label on a car showroom floor. All run through the same 10% charging-loss basis, and the small and medium petrol rows use the $1.80/L reference price the calculator above already uses; the large class's two models are diesel, not petrol, so they're priced at this site's own real diesel rate ($2.15/L) instead.
What it actually costs
Electric figures use ACT's and South Australia's regulated electricity rates, the cheapest and priciest in the country, plus the calculator's own 10% charging-loss assumption, applied across two real Green Vehicle Guide-tested models per class. Small and medium petrol figures use the $1.80/L reference price nationwide, for table consistency with the calculator above; the large row's two diesel models use this site's own real diesel reference price ($2.15/L) instead, since diesel and petrol don't cost the same per litre.
| Option | What it includes | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Small petrol car (Hyundai i30 auto and Mazda3 auto) | 5.6–6.1 L/100 km, Green Vehicle Guide's official combined-cycle figures for the two models | $10.08–$10.98/100 km |
| Small EV (BYD Dolphin Dynamic and MG4 EV Urban Essence) | 12.6–16.1 kWh/100 km, Green Vehicle Guide's official combined-cycle figures for the two models | $3.80–$6.75/100 km |
| Medium petrol car (Toyota RAV4 EDGE 4WD and Hyundai Tucson auto) | 7.0–8.1 L/100 km, Green Vehicle Guide's official combined-cycle figures for the two models | $12.60–$14.58/100 km |
| Medium EV (Tesla Model Y AWD and Model 3) | 15.8–16.0 kWh/100 km, the calculator's own Model 3 worked example plus Model Y's official figure | $4.76–$6.71/100 km |
| Large diesel car (Ford Ranger XLT 4x4 and Toyota LandCruiser 300) | 8.0–8.9 L/100 km, Green Vehicle Guide's official combined-cycle figures for the two models, priced at this site's own real diesel reference price ($2.15/L), not the petrol price above | $17.20–$19.14/100 km |
| Large EV (Kia EV9 Air RWD and BMW iX xDrive40) | 19.5–22.5 kWh/100 km, Green Vehicle Guide's official combined-cycle figures for the two models | $5.88–$9.43/100 km |
Two representative models per class, not every car in it. The range you see reflects genuine model-to-model spread as much as electricity price; see the small, medium and large classes' own state-by-state breakdowns further down the page. Use the calculator above with your own vehicle's numbers for an exact figure.
Size still doesn't cleanly predict the saving
Driving a typical 13,000 km a year, the annual saving from going electric works out to roughly $430 to $930 for a small car, $770 to $1,280 for a medium one, and $1,010 to $1,720 for a large SUV or ute. The large class's two diesel models are priced at diesel's own real rate ($2.15/L), not the petrol price the small and medium rows use, since diesel actually costs more per litre. The single biggest saving on the page is a large one, a Kia EV9 against a Toyota LandCruiser 300, at close to $1,720 a year, because the LandCruiser genuinely burns more fuel (8.9 L/100 km) at a genuinely pricier fuel. But the ranges still overlap: the smallest large-class saving, a BMW iX against a Ford Ranger at $1,010, is still beaten by the medium class's own best pairing, a Hyundai Tucson against a Tesla Model Y at $1,280. "Large EV" isn't one number, and neither is "large diesel car".
None of this counts servicing, which tilts the same way. RACQ's own comparison of the two puts it simply: "because battery electric cars don't have as many moving parts in their motors as petrol cars, electric vehicle service costs are lower than comparable petrol vehicle service costs." RACQ doesn't put its own dollar figure on that gap, but the direction only adds to the running-cost numbers above rather than working against them. What these figures don't cover is the purchase price gap between an EV and a petrol equivalent, which still varies a lot by model and matters as much to the sums as anything on this page.
The other half of the sums: stamp duty and registration
State stamp duty and registration are a real part of buying either vehicle, and EV treatment has shifted a lot since the early wave of exemptions made headlines in 2021 and 2022. Most of those exemptions have since closed or been wound back: New South Wales dropped its stamp duty exemption at the end of 2023, South Australia's and Tasmania's registration exemptions have both since expired, and the ACT's full duty exemption ended on 1 September 2025, so a new EV bought in Canberra today pays real duty again, not the "duty-free" figure a search still turns up on an out-of-date government page. Queensland and Victoria never ran a full exemption at all, just a genuinely lower rate that survives today. The Northern Territory is the outlier: its stamp duty concession and free registration are both still running, unchanged, through mid-2027.
What a small EV costs to charge at home, every state
The table above only names the country's cheapest and priciest state for electricity. Home charging a small EV (BYD Dolphin and MG4 EV, the same two models priced above) costs this much in every state, on the same 10% charging-loss basis as every other figure on this page.
| State | Rate | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 32.4¢ | $4.49–$5.74/100 km |
| Victoria | 29.8¢ | $4.13–$5.28/100 km |
| Queensland | 31.2¢ | $4.32–$5.53/100 km |
| South Australia | 38.1¢ | $5.28–$6.75/100 km |
| Western Australia | 33.6¢ | $4.66–$5.95/100 km |
| Tasmania | 28.9¢ | $4.01–$5.12/100 km |
| Australian Capital Territory | 27.4¢ | $3.80–$4.85/100 km |
| Northern Territory | 31.7¢ | $4.39–$5.61/100 km |
Reference rates for 2026–27. Your row is highlighted once you set your location on the calculator above.
What a medium EV costs to charge at home, every state
Home charging a medium EV (Tesla Model Y and Model 3, the calculator's own worked example) costs this much in every state, on the same 10% charging-loss basis as every other figure on this page.
| State | Rate | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 32.4¢ | $5.63–$5.70/100 km |
| Victoria | 29.8¢ | $5.18–$5.24/100 km |
| Queensland | 31.2¢ | $5.42–$5.49/100 km |
| South Australia | 38.1¢ | $6.62–$6.71/100 km |
| Western Australia | 33.6¢ | $5.84–$5.91/100 km |
| Tasmania | 28.9¢ | $5.02–$5.09/100 km |
| Australian Capital Territory | 27.4¢ | $4.76–$4.82/100 km |
| Northern Territory | 31.7¢ | $5.51–$5.58/100 km |
Reference rates for 2026–27. Your row is highlighted once you set your location on the calculator above.
What a large EV costs to charge at home, every state
The large class uses the most energy per 100 km of the three, so it also carries the widest dollar spread state to state. Home charging a large EV (Kia EV9 and BMW iX, the same two models priced above) costs this much in every state, on the same 10% charging-loss basis as every other figure on this page.
| State | Rate | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 32.4¢ | $6.95–$8.02/100 km |
| Victoria | 29.8¢ | $6.39–$7.38/100 km |
| Queensland | 31.2¢ | $6.69–$7.72/100 km |
| South Australia | 38.1¢ | $8.17–$9.43/100 km |
| Western Australia | 33.6¢ | $7.21–$8.32/100 km |
| Tasmania | 28.9¢ | $6.20–$7.15/100 km |
| Australian Capital Territory | 27.4¢ | $5.88–$6.78/100 km |
| Northern Territory | 31.7¢ | $6.80–$7.85/100 km |
Reference rates for 2026–27. Your row is highlighted once you set your location on the calculator above.
State stamp duty and registration on a new EV
Applies equally to any new EV, regardless of make or model, so it sits on top of whichever purchase-price gap the vehicles above work out to.
| State | Stamp duty | Registration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | No exemption (ended 31 Dec 2023) | Small ongoing discount on the registration tax component for EVs and low-CO2 hybrids | A transitional refund path exists only for cars bought or deposited before the exemption ended |
| Victoria | $8.40 per $200 of value (the “green car” flat rate), not an exemption but avoids the tiered rate pricier petrol cars pay | $100/yr discount for battery-electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen vehicles | The flat rate matters most on cars over $80,809, where standard duty steps up to $10.40–$18 per $200 |
| Queensland | $2 per $100 of value up to $100,000 (vs $3–$6 per $100 for petrol, by cylinder count) | No EV-specific concession; priced on the same weight-based fee as any light car | The separate $3,000–$6,000 purchase rebate closed 2 Sept 2024 |
| South Australia | No exemption; never had one | Exemption ended 30 Jun 2025 (was 3 years free, on cars up to $68,750) | The separate $3,000 purchase subsidy ended 1 Jan 2024 |
| Western Australia | No concession | No concession | The $3,500 ZEV rebate (cars up to $70,000) closed 10 May 2025 with no replacement announced |
| Tasmania | No exemption (ended 31 Dec 2023) | No discount; priced the same as a 4-cylinder petrol car | – |
| Australian Capital Territory | Duty resumed 1 Sept 2025 at a 2.5% minimum rate, rising for pricier cars; the full exemption that ran before that date is gone | Cheapest tier under the new emissions-based fee structure, not free | The ACT's own climate-program page still says duty-free; its Revenue Office's current rate table overrides that |
| Northern Territory | Up to $1,500 off, on BEVs and PHEVs valued up to $50,000, 3% duty on any amount over that | Free registration for the same eligible vehicles | Runs 1 Jul 2022 to 30 Jun 2027; the only state or territory with both concessions still fully intact |
Verified July 2026 directly against each state or territory's own revenue or transport office: several of these concessions have closed or scaled back since 2023-2025 as EVs stopped being a rarity, so older articles describing them as duty-free are now out of date. Your row is highlighted once you set your location.
Common questions
Does the size of the car change how much cheaper an EV is to run?
It does, but not as cleanly as "bigger vehicle, bigger saving". The large class's two diesel models are priced at diesel's own real rate, not the petrol price, since diesel costs more per litre, which puts its floor above the medium class's floor. But the two ranges still overlap: a Hyundai Tucson against a Tesla Model Y, the medium class's best pairing, still saves more per year ($1,280) than a BMW iX against a Ford Ranger, the large class's worst pairing ($1,010), because EV efficiency and real fuel prices both vary as much within a size class as they do between two adjacent ones.
Which vehicle size saves the most money by going electric?
It depends which two real models you compare, not just which size class. The single biggest saving on this page is a Kia EV9 against a Toyota LandCruiser 300, close to $1,720 a year, priced at diesel's own real rate rather than the petrol reference price the small and medium rows use. The smallest large-class saving, a BMW iX against a Ford Ranger, is around $1,010, more than the medium class's own floor of $770 but still less than a medium EV can save against a Hyundai Tucson ($1,280). Green Vehicle Guide's own combined-cycle figures put the two large diesel models at 8.0 to 8.9 L/100 km.
Are these figures accurate for every EV and petrol car of that size?
No, they're two officially-tested models per class, not an average of every car sold in it. Even within a size class, real vehicles vary, a lighter, more efficient model and a heavier, more powerful one can be several litres or kWh per 100 km apart, which is exactly what the ranges above show. Use the EV charging cost calculator above with your own car's efficiency and driving pattern for an exact figure.
Does where you charge change how much an EV actually saves?
Yes, home charging and public charging aren't the same rate, so the savings above assume the cheaper of the two. See our companion guide on home vs public EV charging costs for how much a road trip on public chargers narrows the gap.
Do I still get a stamp duty discount for buying an EV in Australia?
It depends which state, and it's changed a lot since 2023. New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and, most recently, the ACT (from 1 September 2025) have all wound back the exemptions they used to offer, so a new EV in most of the country now pays close to full duty. Queensland and Victoria never had a full exemption, just a lower ongoing rate that still applies. The Northern Territory is the only state or territory with a full concession still running, up to $1,500 off on eligible vehicles under $50,000, through mid-2027.
Sources
Electric vehicle combined-cycle energy consumption, all Australian Government official test data fetched July 2026: Green Vehicle Guide, BYD Dolphin (12.6 kWh/100 km, Dynamic variant), Green Vehicle Guide, MG4 EV (16.1 kWh/100 km, Urban Essence variant), Green Vehicle Guide, Tesla Model Y (15.8 kWh/100 km, AWD variant), Green Vehicle Guide, Kia EV9 (19.5 kWh/100 km, Air RWD variant) and Green Vehicle Guide, BMW iX (22.5 kWh/100 km, xDrive40 variant). Petrol and diesel combined-cycle fuel consumption, same government test data fetched July 2026: Green Vehicle Guide, Hyundai i30 (5.6 L/100 km, 1.5 T-GDI auto variant), Green Vehicle Guide, Mazda3 (6.1 L/100 km, 2.0L auto variant), Green Vehicle Guide, Toyota RAV4 (7.0 L/100 km, EDGE 4WD variant), Green Vehicle Guide, Hyundai Tucson (8.1 L/100 km, 2.0 MPI auto variant), Green Vehicle Guide, Ford Ranger (8.0 L/100 km, Double Cab XLT 4x4 diesel auto variant) and Green Vehicle Guide, Toyota LandCruiser 300 (8.9 L/100 km, GXL/VX/Sahara 4WD diesel auto variant). Servicing cost direction: RACQ, Electric cars v petrol cars. Electricity rates, petrol reference price ($1.80/L) and diesel reference price ($2.15/L), both fuelplan.gov.au's Australian-Government five-largest-cities average as of 22 Jul 2026: this site's own tariffs data, current for 2026–27. State stamp duty and registration, each fetched directly July 2026: NSW Government, stamp duty exemption (ended 31 Dec 2023) and NSW, registering an electric vehicle; Victoria SRO, motor vehicle duty current rates ($8.40 per $200 green-car rate, confirmed directly) and VicRoads, ZLEV registration discount; Queensland, vehicle registration duty rates and Queensland, registration concessions; RevenueSA, stamp duty exemptions and relief, registration exemption end date corroborated by business.gov.au, Incentives for Electric Vehicles (SA) after South Australia's own treasury.sa.gov.au page declined direct automated access; Transport WA, ZEV Rebate FAQs (rebate closed 10 May 2025); Tasmania SRO, motor vehicle duty exemptions and Tasmania, registration fees; ACT Revenue Office, motor vehicle duty (duty resumed 1 Sept 2025), the change corroborated by Electric Vehicle Council after the ACT's own climatechoices.act.gov.au page continued to describe ZEVs as duty-free; and NT Government, EV registration and stamp duty concessions (runs to 30 Jun 2027). This guide is general information, not financial or legal advice. All fetched July 2026.