Electric vehicles cost advantage questioned in Italy

Italy recorded a historic peak in full‑electric car registrations in 2025, and analysts note that electric cars can cost between €3.5 and €5 per 100 km versus €11‑13 for gasoline, offering annual fuel savings of several hundred euros and lower maintenance costs of 40‑50 %.

However, a separate analysis highlights that the commonly quoted electricity price omits system fees, taxes and conversion losses. The effective retail price of electricity can reach €0.58‑€0.60 /kWh, and domestic wall‑box inefficiencies lose 6‑10 % of energy. Using a Fiat 500 electric as an example, a full charge of about 46 kWh would cost roughly €27.60, while the same 200 km driven by a gasoline Fiat 500 would cost about €21.36. Public‑charging tariffs (up to €0.95 /kWh for ultra‑fast chargers) further erode any perceived savings. The debate underscores that the economic advantage of EVs in Italy depends heavily on charging infrastructure costs and real electricity prices.