Save Money On: Petrol, Diesel, Hybrid, or Electric?

Car buyers today can choose from a wide range of vehicles. You can buy a petrol or diesel vehicle, or if you’re environmentally conscious and want a green car, you can choose a hybrid or a fully electric vehicle.

But which among these types of cars will save you the most money? 🤔 Let’s find out!

Should I buy a petrol car?

Depending on your driving needs, a petrol car might be more practical for you. Petrol costs less than diesel and petrol cars produce less pollution than diesel vehicles.

While electric and hybrid vehicles have become popular in recent years, diesel and petrol cars still dominate the UK car market.

These two fuel types have been powering cars since the late 19th century, so car owners are most familiar with them. 

Fuel-efficiency

Petrol comes from distilled petroleum from fossil fuels such as natural gas, coal, hydrocarbons, and crude oil.

Petrol engines are less fuel-efficient than diesel engines. However, petrol cars produce fewer particle emissions than diesel-powered vehicles. 

Carbon Emissions

Diesel cars produce about 20% less CO2 emissions than petrol vehicles. Nevertheless, diesel engines release more nitrous oxide, hydrocarbons, and other harmful particles. So, between the two, petrol is relatively less polluting to the environment.

Cost

Petrol is more affordable than diesel in terms of cost. Petrol vehicles are good for short city drives and also perform well on the motorway. For long distances, though, diesel cars are still more fuel-efficient.

Are diesel cars more practical? 

Diesel cars don’t depreciate as fast as their petrol counterparts. This is good news for car owners who plan to resell their diesel vehicles after some time.

As for their effect on the environment, diesel vehicles produce more polluting particles, such as hydrocarbons and nitrous oxides, which worsen the air quality of busy cities. 

Performance

If you drive long distances frequently, diesel cars are a practical option since they are about 25% more fuel-efficient than petrol vehicles. 

Diesel engine performance is more powerful than petrol engines, so they are a good choice for commercial vehicles. 

Maintenance Costs

Maintenance and repairs are also more costly and the price of diesel fuel is known to be more volatile.

A few disadvantages of diesel vehicles, though, are that they are more expensive than petrol cars and have a higher-than-average insurance cost.

Also, since this fuel type produces lower CO2 emissions, Diesel car owners will pay lower road taxes if their vehicle meets the RDE2 standard.

Is a hybrid car the right choice for me?

Hybrid vehicles have both a petrol engine and a battery pack, which can be used separately or together. This means you can enjoy good speed and mileage with a car that doesn’t cause as much pollution as conventional vehicles. 

A Greener Option

Not all car buyers can fully and immediately commit to driving electric cars. Getting a hybrid allows you to drive a green car while still having the option to switch to using the petrol engine whenever you find it necessary to do so.

City Driving

 Hybrid cars have smaller engines, so they have lower torque than conventional cars. If you drive within the city, a hybrid car is a great way to get to your destinations.

Cost of Buying

Unfortunately, hybrid cars have higher price tags than diesel or petrol vehicles. However, when you resell your hybrid car in the future, you can enjoy a higher resale value, too.

You can also save money by driving a hybrid vehicle because you’ll pay lower congestion charges and taxes than if you owned a traditional car.

However, you have to be prepared for the maintenance cost, as hybrid cars can be more expensive to repair. 

Are electric cars a cost-efficient choice?

Electric cars are the perfect choice for car buyers who want to contribute to improving the air quality in their cities.

EVs don’t produce any emissions, which is great for the environment. Also, since there aren’t any CO2 emissions being produced, car owners can enjoy tax and congestion charge exemptions. 

How do electric cars work?

Electric cars are environmentally-friendly vehicles that have a built-in battery and an electric motor rather than the typical combustion engine of diesel or petrol cars.

When the battery is low, car owners can easily charge it at home, at their workplace charging points, or at other numerous charging points available anywhere in the UK. 

Ban on Diesel and Petrol

Another reason to consider buying an electric car is the fact that by 2030, the UK will ban the sale of diesel and petrol cars to cut pollution being released into the atmosphere.

If you’re planning to buy a car soon, you may as well get an electric car. And since you can get a higher resale price from it, you can resell the car at a good price and buy yourself a newer model in the future. 

Cost-efficiency of EVs

Apart from being environmentally friendly, electric cars are more cost-efficient than traditional vehicles.

Even if EVs are more expensive to purchase, you can save so much because you only need to set aside about £4 for every full charge at home.

For maintenance costs, EVs have fewer moving parts than conventional combustion engine cars, so you can also save money on repairs and maintenance since they don’t break down as much as diesel and petrol vehicles.

Taxes

And of course, up until now, there are many government incentives like free road tax and grants for installing an electric charge point.

But be aware this will change in the future, so always check the .gov website for fully up-to-date information about current and future changes!

Takeaway

So, which car will save you the most money? All in all, electric cars are actually the most cost-efficient option among all fuel types. Hybrids are also a better alternative than petrol or diesel.

For a very long time, combustion engines have been the top choice for car buyers but that’s changing already. More and more people are looking for eco-friendly cars. 

Previously, EVs used to be not only too expensive but also not as powerful as their conventional counterparts.

Because the infrastructure is still evolving, there is always a worry about whether you'll be able to charge it easily when you need to.

But today, EV technology continues to advance, making electric cars even better than traditional diesel or petrol vehicles.

Soon, the price of electric vehicles will be more affordable, and buying one will be a no-brainer for any car buyer.

Before you choose or buy, weigh whether it's better for you to get a fully electric or hybrid car. Best of luck in your search! 😃