Cost & Savings
EV vs Petrol: Real Cost Comparison for Pakistani Drivers
By PakEV Hub Team • 7 min read
EV vs Petrol — The Real Cost Comparison (Pakistan, 2025)
Petrol is around PKR 260/litre. Electricity is around PKR 35–55/unit (off-peak) for residential. Here's the honest math.
Scenario: 1,500 km per month (typical city + occasional intercity)
Petrol car (1.3L, 12 km/l)
- Litres needed: 125
- Monthly fuel: PKR 32,500
- Engine oil + filter (annualized): PKR 1,500/month
- Total: ~PKR 34,000/month
EV (avg consumption 16 kWh/100 km, charged at home off-peak)
- Units needed: 240 kWh
- Monthly electricity: ~PKR 9,600 (at PKR 40/unit)
- Maintenance: ~PKR 500/month (cabin filter, brake fluid)
- Total: ~PKR 10,100/month
You save roughly PKR 24,000/month — that's ~PKR 2.9 lakh per year.
5-Year Total Cost of Ownership
For a 1500 cc petrol sedan (PKR 55 lakh) vs BYD Dolphin (PKR 65 lakh):
| Item | Petrol | EV |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase | 55,00,000 | 65,00,000 |
| Fuel/electricity (5 yr) | 19,50,000 | 5,80,000 |
| Maintenance | 4,00,000 | 1,20,000 |
| 5-year total | 78,50,000 | 72,00,000 |
The EV pays back the price gap in under 3 years and saves PKR 6+ lakh over 5 years.
When the Math Changes
- If you only drive 500 km/month, payback stretches to 6+ years.
- If you must rely on DC fast charging, costs double.
- Battery replacement after 8 years is a real but predictable expense (PKR 12–18 lakh today, falling fast).