As a result of French people’s growing awareness of environmental issues, sales of electric cars increased by 43% between 2016 and 2018. However, they only represented 1.43% of registrations last year. One of the reasons: the electric car is often perceived as too expensive. So purchase, maintenance, charging… how much does it cost to buy an electric vehicle ?
Electric car: a high purchase price offset by several aids
In its annual “Motorist’s Budget,” the Automobile Club Association (ACA) looked at the cost of an electric car . Thus, to purchase, it is rather expensive : for example, you will have to pay 31,900 euros to acquire an entry-level Renault Zoé. A higher amount than that of thermal models of the same brand such as the Renault Kadjar Petrol (24,900 euros) or the Renault Talisman 1.5dCi Limited diesel (31,300 euros). This initial cost can however be reduced thanks to several financial aids offered when buying an electric car .
Benefit from the ecological bonus and the conversion bonus
Set up by the State to support the purchase of electric cars, the ecological bonus currently amounts to 6000 euros within the limit of 27% of the purchase price including tax of the vehicle. This boost contrasts with the ecological penalty imposed for the acquisition of a thermal car and which varies from 50 to 12,500 euros depending on the CO2 emissions of the model.
Another aid: the conversion bonus offered by the State if you send your diesel or petrol car to the scrapyard and replace it with an electric vehicle . Its amount varies according to the type of buyer, and his reference tax income (RFR). Thus, the conversion premium can reach 5,000 euros (up to 80% of the purchase price including tax) if your taxable income is less than 13,489 euros (or 6,300 euros per unit). Beyond 13,489 euros of RFR, the premium increases to 2,500 euros.
Finally, some communities offer additional subsidies for the purchase of an electric car . The latter amount, for example, to 6,000 euros in the Bouches-du-Rhône or the Greater Paris Metropolis.
The amount of trade-in value and maintenance difficult to assess
The constant technological evolution of electric models makes it difficult to estimate their trade-in value. If we rely on the ACA’s comparisons, the loss of value after a few years of circulation would however be greater for electric cars than for thermal models. After 4 years, for example, an entry-level Renault Zoé would lose 74% of its initial value, compared to -58% for a Clio Trend Tce 75 petrol engine. But the differences between models are too great to be able to establish a reliable comparison on this point.
Conversely, the maintenance of an electric car would be less expensive even if, here again, the lack of hindsight makes it difficult to make any rigorous estimate in this respect.
SAVE €360 / year** on your car insurance
I compare
Electric car versus thermal car: cost comparison through two LLD offers
In order to compare the total costs of these two families of cars, the ACA relied on two long-term rental offers (LLD) offered in 2018 by Renault for its entry-level electric model Zoé (offer over 37 months) and a similar thermal model: the Clio Trend Tce 75 petrol engine (49-month offer) . In both cases, Renault is responsible for the maintenance and replacement of wear parts (excluding tyres).
Rental cost: thermal car advantage
The first month of rental of a Renault Zoé (excluding battery rental) is increased and amounts to 8000 euros. If we remove the ecological bonus of 6,000 euros from this sum, the first month will ultimately only cost 2,000 euros. The rental then amounts to 99 euros/month spread over the remaining 36 months and within the limit of 22,500 kilometres.
By way of comparison, after a first monthly payment also increased and established at 1500 euros, you will have to pay 130 euros out of the 48 remaining monthly payments for the rental of a Clio.
In summary, you will have to pay 2433 euros annually for a LLD of Renault Zoé, against 1896 euros for a LLD of Clio Trend Tce 75 gasoline engine. Note, however, that the rental and payment period for the latter will be longer.
Do not forget the rental of the battery and the installation of a socket for recharging
It is possible to buy an electric car without a battery and rent one afterwards, which is often more economical. Indeed, a battery can cost up to 9000 euros depending on the model .
The LLD offer of the Renault Zoé includes the rental of a battery. The latter amounts to 69 euros the first month, then to 39 euros monthly over the remaining 36 months.
Finally, the installation of a home socket for recharging your electric car will cost 150 euros per year under this offer.
Fuel, maintenance, tolls… comparison of other expenditure items
For this electric car vs thermal car battle to be as complete as possible, other expenses must be taken into account, such as the cost of fuel or maintenance .
Fuel is a major factor in this comparison and, unsurprisingly, driving electric is much less expensive . For example, you will have to count 4 euros for 100 kilometers (high range) to recharge a Renault Zoé, while doing 100 kilometers with a Clio will cost you more than 9 euros.
As far as maintenance is concerned, changing a set of tires would cost an average of 120 euros per year for a Clio compared to 90 euros for a Zoé . The ACA has also included in its comparison the garage costs which would amount to an average of 593 euros for the two models.
Finally, the toll charges would be 170 euros for the Renault Zoé against 220 euros for the Clio . More urban, the electric car would indeed be used more in town than on the highway.
Final verdict: the electric car would cost less
If we add up all these items of expenditure, the LLD of a Renault Zoé would therefore be more economical (4216 euros/year) than that of a Clio (4459 euros/year) .
The gap widens further if we add the ADVENIR subsidies and those of certain local authorities for the installation of electrical sockets in the buildings and houses of purchasers of electric cars, or the measures taken by several local authorities to encourage the use of electric cars like in Paris where parking is free .
Finally, the majority of regions exempt electric cars from the payment of the gray card , which represents between 27 and 51.20 euros in savings for their owners.
Electric car and car insurance
To definitively put an end to preconceived ideas that driving electric is more expensive, it is also important to specify that insuring an electric car is less expensive. Thus, the ACA study estimates the annual cost of car insurance for a Renault Zoé at 600 euros, compared to 700 euros for a Clio . Indeed, for several reasons, the car insurance premium for an electric vehicle would be 5 to 50% cheaper than for a conventional vehicle, according to insurers.
And if the price of car insurance for electric cars remains high, there is a simple way to save money: compete with the offers of the many insurers on the market.
