“Cheaper to run” is the promise. Cheaper than what, on whose mileage, charging where is the detail. This is what we put in the calculator — and what we leave for you to check elsewhere.
Electricity or fuel from our catalog prices — pump rates for petrol and diesel, home and off-peak assumptions for EVs based on what you tell us about charging.
VED, typical servicing, and an indicative insurance figure. The insurance number is a national-ish average, not a quote for your postcode, age, or no-claims history.
We do not call a valuation API for your car. You tell us what you paid and when — that is how the ownership comparison works.
Insurance in the tool is a starting point. Real quotes before you commit are worth the half-hour. A 22-year-old in a postcode insurers dislike will not match our average.
Divide your tariff’s pence per kWh by how many miles you get from a kWh — often 3.5–4.5 for a typical hatchback. On a 7p off-peak rate that is roughly 1.5–2p per mile. On 24p standard rate, multiply accordingly.