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Ademe Report: EV charging up to 3x cheaper than fuel
22 ott 2026
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A household that replaces an old diesel with a new electric car will spend three times less on energy each month. The figure appears in the press kit that Ademe, the French agency for ecological transition, published on 7 October 2026 with its new report on the electric car and its charging. It should not be read as a threefold cut in the car budget, since the ratio only compares fuel and electricity. Maintenance, insurance and purchase are covered separately in an eighteen-page document, which paints a more nuanced and more complete picture than the figure picked up in the headlines.
A ratio that only concerns energy
In the summary of its report, Ademe writes that charging, when it combines home and roaming, is about three times cheaper than filling up with fossil fuel. Further on, the agency specifies that refuelling costs 2.5 to 3 times less depending on the share of public charging.
The report does not publish an annual amount in euros, nor a mileage assumption for this calculation. It does give a usage benchmark: in France, electric cars drove 13,500 km on average in 2025, against 11,600 km for all powertrains combined. The more you drive, the more the energy gap weighs on the budget.
The press kit highlights another advantage: driving on electricity makes households less dependent on fluctuations in fossil fuel prices.
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Maintenance down, insurance up
On maintenance, Ademe puts the saving at about 40% compared with a combustion-engined vehicle. The drivetrain has fewer wear parts, needs no oil change and puts less strain on the brakes thanks to energy recovery. Our comparison of maintenance costs between electric and petrol cars details the items involved.
Insurance moves in the opposite direction. The agency notes a premium 11% higher on average than for a combustion-engined vehicle of the same generation, a consequence of higher repair costs and repairability that can still be improved. The gap remains small compared with the energy savings.
Expense item | Ademe's finding |
Energy | 2.5 to 3 times cheaper than fuel, depending on the share of public charging |
Maintenance | About 40% cheaper |
Insurance | About 11% more expensive on average |
Total cost of ownership | Lower for used electric cars and for most new electric cars |
New purchase in France (2025, before incentives and excluding specific taxes) | Gap of less than €3,000 on a compact, around €5,200 on a city car, more than €7,000 on a small urban car |
Source: Ademe, "Les avis de l'ADEME : La voiture électrique et sa recharge", October 2026, and press kit of 07/10/2026.
The purchase price remains the highest step
The purchase gap is narrowing, however. In 2025, in France, before incentives and excluding specific taxes, an electric compact cost less than €3,000 more than its combustion equivalent, and a versatile segment B city car about €5,200 more. The gap still exceeds €7,000 on small urban cars, which leads Ademe to a clear reservation: on this segment, the extra cost of a new car can take high mileage to pay off, depending on the incentives available.
Over the period 2019 to 2025, list prices in France rose by 31.8% across all powertrains, despite a 1.8% fall in 2025 alone, the agency notes. Lower-income households are getting equipped: the less affluent half of the population acquired 41% of new electric cars bought by households in 2024, against 20% in 2022. In the new market, leasing dominates, with 70 to 80% of household electric car acquisitions in the first half of 2026.
On the French used market, a study under way by the agency, due for publication in November, puts the value of a five-year-old electric car at around 43% of its new price, against 51% for the market as a whole. This steeper depreciation makes the vehicle more accessible to the used-car buyer, especially as, depending on the country, incentives for buying a used electric car may exist. Our article on the cost-effectiveness of an electric car in 2026 covers these parameters.
Batteries that age more slowly than feared
The report devotes several paragraphs to battery durability, long presented as the Achilles heel of the electric car. The data gathered by Ademe shows degradation of 1.7 to 2.3% a year and an average capacity of 89% at 200,000 km, for high-mileage use. The Euro 7 standard will impose, by the end of 2027, minimum thresholds of 80% at five years or 100,000 km, and 72% at eight years or 160,000 km. From February 2027, the European battery passport will make the history of each battery more transparent, which should make the used market more fluid.
A carbon footprint at least halved
Over its whole life cycle, an electric car charged in France emits at least half the greenhouse gases of a combustion or non-plug-in hybrid model, according to the report. The agency takes the example of a 60 kWh electric compact, with around 430 km of range, compared with a non-plug-in petrol hybrid. The "carbon debt" linked to battery manufacturing is paid off after about 70,000 km. At 240,000 km, the electric car's footprint is 2.25 times lower.
This result is largely due to the low carbon intensity of French electricity, which Ademe puts at 46.1 g of CO2 per kilowatt-hour; the result therefore depends on each country's electricity mix. The agency nevertheless points out that a car, even an electric one, keeps a significant environmental footprint, and that it uses more critical metals.
Public charging: Ademe points to price readability
According to the report, mainland France had more than 200,000 publicly accessible charge points at the end of July 2026, up 15% in a year, and fast chargers of 50 to 350 kW equip every motorway service area in the country. On these areas, availability reached 98.5% during summer 2025, with usage up 71%. The report points out that a charge up to 80% takes about half an hour, which recovers 180 to 200 km for a car charging at 100 kW, and more than 350 km at 200 kW, hence the importance of the vehicle's maximum charging power.
The weak point, according to the agency, is price readability. Public charging rates remain hard to anticipate, and the fees applied for prolonged parking at fast chargers can push up the bill. Ademe recommends improving advance price display. It notes that in France, 84% of electric car users have a charge point at or near home, and 53% at or near their workplace. For most of them, public charging complements charging at home.
The full Ademe report on the electric car and its charging can be downloaded free of charge from the agency's website.
Charging at a known price on the Electra network
Ademe's ratio erodes as the share of public charging rises, which is why it pays to know the price before plugging in. At our fast charging stations, the price per kilowatt-hour is displayed in the app. Without a subscription, it varies between €0.39 and €0.61 incl. VAT depending on demand; it starts at €0.64 incl. VAT by bank card. For a charge started from our app, overstay fees only apply beyond 80% battery, when the station is busy, after a five-minute grace period; they are €0.40 per minute and capped at €50 per session.
The Electra+ subscription lowers the price on every session:
Electra+ Essential: €1.99/month with no commitment, €0.10/kWh discount on every charge on the Electra network.
Electra+ Smart: €4.99/month with no commitment, €0.20/kWh discount on every charge on the Electra network.
The details of Electra charging rates specify the prices in force by payment method.
FAQ: Ademe Report
How much does switching from diesel to electric save, according to Ademe?
In its press kit, Ademe estimates that a household switching from an old diesel to a new electric car divides its monthly energy spending by three. Its report more broadly puts charging at 2.5 to 3 times cheaper than fuel, depending on the share of public charging.
When did Ademe publish its report on electric cars?
On 7 October 2026, with a press kit and two studies published the same day, one on the life-cycle analysis of road transport, the other on the carbon footprint of batteries.
What is the price gap between an electric and a combustion car?
In 2025, in France, before incentives and excluding specific taxes, Ademe puts it at less than €3,000 for a compact, around €5,200 for a city car and more than €7,000 for a small urban car.
How many kilometres does it take to pay off the manufacturing of an electric car?
About 70,000 km for a 60 kWh electric compact compared with a non-plug-in petrol hybrid, according to Ademe's report.
Key takeaways
Ademe's report confirms the economic advantage of the electric car in use, provided the figure is read for what it is. Energy costs 2.5 to 3 times less, maintenance about 40% less, and insurance a little more. The purchase gap is narrowing and the used market opens one more door. On long journeys, the price of public charging matters as much as charger speed in preserving this advantage.
To find Electra stations near you, download the app on the App Store or Google Play.
Written by Nicolas, Electra mobility expert
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