Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) vs BMW X5 xDrive40i: 5-year cost to own in the U.S.
As of August 6, 2026, over 5 years (U.S. average, 12,000 mi/yr), the Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) is cheaper from day one — about $76,064 over 5 years vs $76,419 for the BMW X5 xDrive40i, a $355 difference. The expired federal $7,500 EV credit is not applied to either total.
Cheaper to own over 5 yearsAudi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) · $76,064 total · $355 less than the BMW X5 xDrive40i
Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) vs BMW X5 xDrive40i — where the money goes
| Cost component | Electric · Audi Q6 e-tron | Gas · BMW X5 xDrive40i |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | $37,755 (50%) | $36,676 (48%) |
| Charging / fuel | $5,230 (7%) | $9,233 (12%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~$628) | — |
| Maintenance | $5,400 (7%) | $6,060 (8%) |
| Insurance | $15,000 (20%) | $11,000 (14%) |
| Financing interest | $11,678 (15%) | $12,450 (16%) |
| Registration & fees | $1,000 (1%) | $1,000 (1%) |
| Total cost of ownership | $76,064 | $76,419 |
The charging-loss row is the ~10–15% of electricity lost to AC charging that you pay for but never reaches the battery — we include it; most calculators don't.
When does the Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) win?
At 12,000 mi/yr the Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) is already the cheaper car — drive more or keep it longer and its lead only grows.
Call this one a tie — $355 separates the two 5-year totals, inside the noise of a forecast this long. Choose on fit and features, not on this number.
What decides the Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) vs BMW X5 xDrive40i verdict
One line outweighs everything else here: energy. It costs $5,230 of charging for the Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) against $9,233 of gas for the BMW X5 xDrive40i — a $4,003 swing to the Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric), bigger than the $355 that separates the two 5-year totals. On the Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric), energy alone is 7% of its $76,064 total; on the BMW X5 xDrive40i it is 12% of $76,419.
- Insurance: Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) $15,000, BMW X5 xDrive40i $11,000 — $4,000 the other way, to the BMW X5 xDrive40i.
- Depreciation: Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) $37,755, BMW X5 xDrive40i $36,676 — $1,079 the other way, to the BMW X5 xDrive40i.
- Financing interest: Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) $11,678, BMW X5 xDrive40i $12,450 — $772 more in the Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric)'s favor.
The BMW X5 xDrive40i's best answer is insurance, $4,000 back the other way — more than the final $355 gap on its own, but the remaining rows pull the verdict back to the Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric). At the dealer the BMW X5 xDrive40i starts $4,105 behind the Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric); running costs claw back $3,750 of that, but the Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) still ends $355 ahead. The Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) is ahead from the first year — $1,151 after year 1 — and finishes year 5 with the full $355 lead; the cumulative lines never cross.
Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) vs BMW X5 xDrive40i, side by side
Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric)
- 5-yr total cost
- $76,064
- Cost / month
- $1,268
- Cost / mile
- $1.27
- MSRP
- $65,095
- Powertrain
- Electric
- Efficiency
- 32 kWh/100mi
BMW X5 xDrive40i
- 5-yr total cost
- $76,419
- Cost / month
- $1,274
- Cost / mile
- $1.27
- MSRP
- $69,200
- Powertrain
- Gas
- Efficiency
- 25 mpg
- Electricity (US avg)
- 18.4¢/kWh EIA
- Gas price (US avg)
- $3.85/gal AAA
Full cost breakdowns
Audi Q6 e-tron (base RWD, electric) vs BMW X5 xDrive40i by state
Local rates flip this verdict in 33 states: in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut and 28 more, the BMW X5 xDrive40i comes out ahead at default assumptions — each link opens that state's per-model cost table.