It’s true that purchasing an electric car tends to be more expensive than a similar one with a combustion engine. But what about maintenance?

In terms of operation, electric cars are much less expensive than those with combustion engines. A good example: over 100 kilometres, an electric car uses around 22 kW hours of electricity. A kilowatt hour costs around 25 centimes if you charge the car at home. The 100 kilometres thus cost 5.50 francs. A similar combustion engine car uses 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres, which corresponds to 14 francs. So the energy costs alone are more than twice as high for a fossil fuel-powered car.

The maintenance costs for an electric car are also much lower. There are no costs for changing the oil or for wear and tear on engine parts. In general, the costs for inspections and servicing are lower.

It’s true that electric cars coming onto the market have a much worse carbon footprint than ones with a combustion engine. This is because production of the battery is very resource- and energy-intensive.

Viewed over the whole life cycle, the ecological aspect is different: according to the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), which has conducted scientific studies, an electric car is more environmentally friendly as of around 40,000 to 60,000 kilometres travelled. Good to know: The TCS carbon footprint calculator shows how sustainable vehicles really are.

According to estimates, batteries in e-vehicles are used for around 10 to 14 years as a high-voltage battery. But even afterwards, the energy storage system is a highly valuable resource. The battery takes on a second life – as a stationary energy storage unit at home. An example: a photovoltaic system on the roof generates electricity during the day and charges the stationary battery, also known as a buffer storage battery. This enables the electric vehicle to be charged overnight. This stationary use is better for the battery, meaning it can be used for another 10 to 14 years.

Only then is it recycled: it is already possible to recycle 96% of lithium-ion batteries at specialized recycling plants. This results in recyclables that are incorporated into the battery production cycle.