- Under 2 years: clear yes — the fuel maths dominates everything else.
- 2–4 years:yes if you'll keep the car that long (most Indians keep cars 6–8 years), and for EVs the lower servicing cost tilts it further in favour.
- Beyond 5 years: the premium probably never pays back in fuel alone — buy the CNG/EV because you want one (quietness, city driving comfort, green preference), not for the wallet.
- Remember the tax angle:several states charge EVs little or no road tax — Delhi effectively waives it — which shrinks the real premium. Check your city's exact numbers on our on-road price calculator.
CNG & EV Savings Calculator
The CNG variant costs more to buy; the EV costs a lot more. Whether either pays you back depends on one number nobody at the showroom asks about: how much you actually drive. Enter your monthly running and local prices — the break-even point falls out of the arithmetic. Nothing stored, no sign-up.
Running cost per km
₹3.15vs ₹5.72 petrol
Monthly saving
₹2,574
Break-even
3.1 years
Break-even = extra purchase cost ÷ monthly fuel saving. It ignores servicing differences, resale premium and battery/cylinder life — see the notes below for how those shift the answer.
Reading your break-even honestly
Frequently Asked Questions
How many kilometres a month make a CNG car worth it?
As a rule of thumb, at typical 2026 prices (petrol ~₹103/litre, CNG ~₹85/kg) a CNG variant saving ~₹2.5/km recovers its usual ₹90,000–1,00,000 premium in about 3 years at 1,000 km/month, and under 2 years at 1,500 km/month. Below ~600 km/month the payback stretches past 5 years — at that point CNG is about preference, not economics.
What does an EV really cost per kilometre?
Home-charged at ₹8/unit with a realistic 6–7 km/kWh, an EV runs at roughly ₹1.2–1.4/km — about a fifth of a petrol car's ₹5–6/km. Public fast charging at ₹18–25/unit doubles or triples that, so the economics depend heavily on whether you can charge at home.
What costs does a simple break-even calculation ignore?
Four things worth knowing: EVs typically cost 30–40% less to service (no oil, fewer moving parts) which shortens their payback; CNG cars need cylinder hydro-testing every few years and can carry slightly higher service costs; insurance on EVs runs higher because of the pricier car; and resale — CNG variants traditionally hold value well in high-running markets, while EV resale hinges on battery health and warranty transfer.
Should I count the interest cost on the extra money?
For a rigorous answer, yes — ₹2.5 lakh extra financed at 9% costs about ₹1,900/month in interest, which meaningfully extends an EV's break-even if your savings are ~₹4,000/month. Our calculator keeps the simple version; add roughly 20–30% to the break-even period if you're financing the premium.