EV vs petrol cost in South Australia, Australia (2026) — the true 5-year total

What is different about South Australia's numbers

Home electricity in South Australia is 43.70c/kWh — 32.4% above the 33.00c Australia average (AER, 2026-08-06), which makes South Australia the most expensive of the 8 states we price: 1.6× more than a household pays in Tasmania. Petrol stays Australia-wide at $1.63/L (AIP), as do rego and incentives, so South Australia changes exactly one input on this page.

What the AER figure for South Australia actually is: Highest in the NEM (AER DMO 2025-26).

Run all 52 models that have their own cost page through the kernel at both rate sets and the average electric car's 5-year total in South Australia lands $1,509 above its Australia-average figure, while a petrol or hybrid car's total does not move by a cent — in Australia only electricity changes by state. Net effect: South Australia widens the gap an EV has to close by about $1,509. At South Australia rates EVs take 1 of the 12 head-to-head matchups we track, against 1 at the Australia average — we publish that whichever way it falls.

Take one car — a BYD Atto 1 (Essential) — and South Australia is the most expensive place in Australia to keep it charged: $1,920 more over 5 years in South Australia than the identical car in Tasmania.

Running cost at South Australia prices: a BYD Atto 1 (Essential) draws about $6.85 of electricity per 100 km charging at home in South Australia with the ~12% charging loss counted, against $11.41 of petrol for a 7 L/100km car — a petrol car would have to do 4.2 L/100km to match the EV's energy bill in South Australia. Efficient small petrol cars are already in that range, so in South Australia the energy advantage of charging at home is thin. Energy is only one line of the total: depreciation and insurance decide the 5-year figure, which is why most of the matchups on this page still go to the petrol or hybrid car.

Sorting all 52 models by 5-year cost at South Australia rates instead of the Australia average moves 28 of them out of the position they hold nationally. The ones South Australia moves furthest:

• MG4 — 5 places worse in South Australia than at the Australia average, at $52,376 over 5 years here.
• BYD Atto 2 (Dynamic) — 4 places worse in South Australia than at the Australia average, at $51,950 over 5 years here.
• Toyota Kluger GX Hybrid AWD — 3 places better in South Australia than at the Australia average, at $62,739 over 5 years here.

South Australia is also the most expensive state in Australia for 28 of them.

Cheapest to own in South Australia, Australia

Ranked by true 5-year cost at South Australia's own electricity rate (12,000 km/yr, all-in). Tap a column to sort, or filter by type:

That is the South Australia-relevant slice of the fleet. All 52 models we price, at the Australia average rate, are on the Australia hub.

Matchups that change hands in South Australia

None of them. All 12 head-to-head matchups come out the same way at South Australia rates as at the Australia average: South Australia's electricity price moves an average EV's 5-year total by $1,509, which is never enough to change a winner in South Australia. All 12 Australia matchups →

States whose numbers look like South Australia's

Closest matches to South Australia on home electricity and pump price — where the same car lands nearest to its South Australia total — plus the cheapest and dearest states in Australia to run an EV:

• New South Wales → 38.0c/kWh
• Queensland → 33.3c/kWh
• Northern Territory → 33.0c/kWh
• Tasmania → 28.0c/kWh

South Australia is one of 8 states we price: see all of them, and the full 52-model directory →

Estimates for planning, not financial advice. Australia depreciation, insurance and maintenance are dated estimates calibrated to Australia sources. How we calculate →