Ministry calculates
The numbers are surprising: this drive really is the cheapest
12/9/2025 – 11:41 a.mReading time: 2 min.
Electric cars are clearly at the top when it comes to energy costs. New data shows how big the lead is now and why other drives can hardly keep up. One number in particular stands out.
Electric vehicles are still the cheapest choice in Germany when it comes to the cost per kilometer driven. An evaluation by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection shows: No other drive concept is currently as economical as the purely electric car.
The analysis is based on the average consumption of the most popular models in all vehicle classes as well as the energy prices from August 2025 and comes to a clear conclusion: whether small cars, compact models or luxury cars – electric cars are ahead everywhere.
For 100 kilometers in the small car or compact segment, the average cost is only around 4.97 euros. Compared to the data from May 2025, driving with electricity has actually become slightly cheaper as electricity prices have fallen slightly.
Petrol and diesel engines, on the other hand, remain expensive. Even with improved efficiency, they cost more than twice as much energy as electric cars. Diesel and cars powered by natural gas or LPG are on average around 50 percent higher than the cost of battery-electric vehicles.
The average prices for the third quarter of 2025 apply to the current energy cost comparison:
The consumption data comes from the WLTP values (global consumption measurement method) of the three best-selling models in the small car/compact and medium/upper class classes.
Electric cars in Germany now cost little more than comparable combustion engines. A study shows: The price difference between 20 popular petrol and diesel models and the corresponding electric versions is almost 1,600 euros.
However, the loss of value for electric cars is higher in the first few years than for combustion engines. In the medium term, however, this difference is likely to even out.
Electric cars offer significant financial advantages: up to ten years of vehicle tax exemption, lower operating costs due to less maintenance and tax breaks for company cars. In addition, there is often free or discounted parking, the use of bus lanes with E license plates and regional funding, for example for wallboxes.
By the way: The energy cost comparison has been mandatory since October 1, 2021. Every gas station with more than six gas pumps must display it clearly or display it digitally – either on at least half of all pumps or directly in the checkout area. The next update is due in March 2026.
