In a new study, the total cost of ownership of cars over four years, including the purchase price, depreciation, fuel, insurance, taxation and maintenance were analyzed with findings that pure electric cars came out less inexpensive in all the markets examined: UK, Japan, Texas and California.
Contributing factors included lower fuel costs – electricity is cheaper than petrol or diesel – and maintenance costs, as the engines are simpler and help brake the car, saving on brake pads.
“We were surprised and encouraged because, as we scale up production, [pure] electric vehicles are going to be becoming cheaper and we expect battery costs are going to fall,” said James Tate, who conducted the research published in the journal Applied Energy with Kate Palmer and colleagues at the University of Leeds, UK. “It is a really good news story.”
Read more of the original article at The Guardian.
