Compare petrol and electric scooters over the same kilometres and ownership period. Separate energy cost, routine service, tyres, insurance, registration, finance, battery replacement, charging equipment, downtime and resale.
Energy cost
Petrol cost is kilometres divided by km/litre multiplied by the current fuel price. EV cost is wall kWh used multiplied by the tariff. Include charging losses and measure Wh/km over your route. Traffic, speed, hills and pillion load affect both vehicles.
Maintenance and downtime
EVs have fewer engine fluids and combustion components, but still need tyres, brakes, bearings, suspension, lights, wiring, controller and battery care. A petrol vehicle has oil, filters, belts or chains, engine tune-ups and exhaust-related parts. Local parts and technician access can outweigh a theoretical maintenance advantage.
Total ownership worksheet
Use: purchase price + finance cost + energy + scheduled service + repairs + tyres + insurance/registration + charging equipment + expected battery replacement − resale value. Run a low, central and high battery-life scenario. The result is a range, not a promise.
For a Bangladesh buyer, support, written warranty and replacement availability deserve the same attention as the first-year fuel saving.
General user-friendly section
Use the same distance, load and ownership period for both vehicles. A fair comparison includes petrol or wall electricity, scheduled service, tyres, brakes, insurance or registration, finance, charging equipment, downtime, battery replacement and resale.
Make a three-scenario worksheet
Build low, expected and high cases for annual kilometres, fuel/electricity price, service, repairs and battery life. This is more honest than claiming one payback month. If your route is short and the EV is charged at home, energy savings may be strong; if you cannot charge reliably or support is far away, downtime can erase the advantage.
Do not ignore non-financial value
Noise, local air pollution, ride smoothness, convenience and the ability to charge at home matter to real owners. Put those beside the financial result rather than hiding them inside a guessed price.
Technical deep dive
TCO = purchase + finance + energy + service + repairs + tyres + registration/insurance + charging equipment + expected battery replacement − resale. For an EV, energy is wall kWh per kilometre multiplied by the tariff. For petrol, divide distance by measured km/litre and multiply by the fuel price.
Break-even is a range
Upfront price difference divided by per-kilometre operating-cost difference gives a rough break-even distance. It is only useful when the numerator includes the same equipment and fees and the denominator includes realistic maintenance and battery assumptions.
Sensitivity matters
Change one variable at a time: annual distance, tariff, fuel price, battery replacement year or resale. If a tiny assumption change reverses the answer, report the decision as uncertain and prioritise warranty and service quality.
Practical checklist before you decide
- Write down the exact model, battery version, charger and warranty—not only the advertised headline.
- Separate a measured result from a manufacturer claim and record the test conditions.
- Keep a reserve for heat, traffic, hills, battery ageing and an unexpected detour.
- Ask who will diagnose and replace the part locally if the first solution fails.
This guide is for informed comparison. A damaged or modified high-voltage battery should be inspected by a qualified technician.