Which electric commercial vehicles have the lowest operating costs?
Electric commercial vehicles with the lowest operating costs are often compact models such as the Renault Kangoo E-Tech and Volkswagen e-Crafter, thanks to their efficient energy consumption and lower maintenance costs. Total operating costs depend on energy costs, maintenance, insurance and tax benefits. You mainly save on fuel and maintenance compared to diesel vehicles.
What determines the operating costs of electric commercial vehicles?
The operating costs of electric commercial vehicles consist of five main categories: energy costs, maintenance, insurance, depreciation and tax benefits. These cost factors work differently from traditional commercial vehicles and together determine your total monthly expenses.
Energy costs replace your fuel costs and are often 50-70% lower than diesel. You pay for electricity instead of fuel, resulting in lower costs per kilometre. Home charging costs around €0.25 per kWh, while public charging is between €0.35 and €0.50 per kWh.
The maintenance costs are significantly lower because electric motors have fewer moving parts. You don't need oil changes, filter changes or exhaust system maintenance. However, new costs are added, such as battery checks and software updates.
For insurance you often pay a little more because of the higher purchase value, but this difference will narrow as electric vehicles become more common. The depreciation is currently progressing faster than diesel vehicles, although this is stabilising due to increased demand.
Important tax benefits make electric company cars more financially attractive. You pay no BPM, get a discount on motor vehicle tax and can take advantage of favourable addition rules for business use.
How much do you save on fuel with an electric company car?
With an electric company car, you save on average €1,500 to €3,000 per year on energy costs compared to a comparable diesel company car, depending on your annual mileage and charging habits. The savings increase the more kilometres you drive.
A practical calculation example: a diesel company car consumes an average of 7 litres per 100 km. At €1.50 per litre of diesel, this costs €10.50 per 100 km. A comparable electric company car consumes about 20 kWh per 100 km. When charging at home (€ 0.25 per kWh), you pay € 5.00 per 100 km.
For different driving distances means this:
- 15,000 km per year: savings of around €825
- 25,000 km per year: savings of around €1,375
- 40,000 km per year: savings of around €2,200
Your charging location significantly affects the savings. Home charging is the cheapest and produces the biggest savings. Public charging costs more, but is still more economical than diesel. Quick charging on the road is more expensive, but remains competitive, especially for long trips.
Energy prices fluctuate less than diesel prices, making your costs more predictable. This helps with budget planning and makes you less dependent on fuel price fluctuations.
What maintenance costs do you have with electric commercial vehicles?
Electric commercial vehicles have 40-60% lower maintenance costs than diesel vehicles because they have fewer moving parts and no complex internal combustion engine. You mainly save on regular maintenance, such as oil changes, filter changes and exhaust system repairs.
Disappearing costs for electric vehicles:
- Oil changes (€100-150 per turn)
- Air and fuel filters (€50-100 per year)
- Exhaust system maintenance and repairs
- Spark plugs and glow plugs
- Clutch maintenance (for automatic transmission)
New cost items that come with it:
- Battery checks and diagnostics (€50-100 per year)
- Software updates and system checks (often free of charge)
- Coolant for battery cooling (€ 30-50 per year)
- High-voltage system inspections (€75-125 per turn)
Parts that remain the same, are tyres, brakes (which often last longer due to regenerative braking), windscreen wipers and air conditioning. Brake pads last even longer because electric vehicles recover a lot of energy when braking.
Batteries are usually guaranteed for 8 years or 160,000 km, which reduces the risk of major replacement costs. After this period, batteries still retain 70-80% of their capacity, which remains sufficient for most applications.
How do you calculate the total cost of ownership of an electric utility vehicle?
The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for electric commercial vehicles includes the purchase price minus subsidies, operational costs, maintenance costs, insurance, depreciation and tax benefits. This calculation gives you the actual cost difference with traditional commercial vehicles over the entire ownership period.
Step 1: Calculate the net purchase price
Deduct available subsidies from the list price. For electric commercial vehicles, you can often count on SEBA subsidy (Subsidy Scheme for Emission-Free Commercial Vehicles) and any provincial or municipal schemes.
Step 2: Determine annual operating costs
- Energy cost: (annual mileage ÷ 100) × consumption per 100 km × electricity price
- Insurance: often 5-15% higher than diesel due to higher value
- Road tax: significantly lower or zero for electric vehicles
Step 3: Calculate maintenance costs
Assume an average of 40-60% of the maintenance costs of a comparable diesel commercial vehicle. For a medium-sized commercial vehicle, this means about €800-1,200 a year instead of €1,500-2,000.
Step 4: Determine residual value and depreciation
Electric commercial vehicles currently depreciate faster, but this is stabilising. Considering 15-25% residual value after 4 years is realistic, depending on battery condition and technological developments.
Practical calculation formula TCO:
TCO = (Purchase price - Subsidies - Residual value) + (Annual operating costs × ownership period) - Tax benefits
How Van Den Hurk helps with electric commercial vehicles
We fully support you in the transition to electric commercial vehicles with personal advice on cost optimisation and practical guidance. We combine our experience of more than 60 years in the commercial vehicle industry with expertise in sustainable mobility.
Our concrete support:
- Free TCO calculation for your specific situation and driving behaviour
- Advice on the most cost-effective electric models for your business
- Assistance with grant applications and tax benefits
- Flexible financial lease options to suit your budget
- Help in setting up charging infrastructure and charging strategy
- Transparent prices with no hidden costs
We take the time to understand your business situation and calculate the real savings together. Our large stock of electric company cars means you can switch quickly, without long waiting times.
Want to know how much you can save with an electric company car? Contact us for a personal consultation and a free costing that suits your business.
