The financial balance of owning a car these days is increasingly determined not by the initial purchase price, but by the daily costs behind the wheel. Data from the operation of road vehicles in our country this year show a clear trend, according to which pure electric mobility retains its position as the most economical choice for movement, as long as the right conditions for its use are in place.
The key factor for achieving minimal costs remains the ability to charge from the home network or at the workplace. With an average consumption of about 18 kilowatt-hours per hundred kilometers traveled, the night-time electricity tariff in our country, varying around 0.08 - 0.09 euros per kilowatt-hour, allows this distance to be covered for only 1.50 to 2.50 euros. Using the public fast infrastructure increases the price to around 7.00 - 8.00 euros for the same distance, which still maintains a significant distance compared to conventional alternatives.
The LPG alternative (LPG) continues to be an extremely popular balanced choice on the Bulgarian market, occupying an intermediate position between expensive traditional fuels and electricity. At a current price of around 0.60 - 0.65 euros per liter of LPG, the cost per 100 kilometers of mileage amounts to approximately 5.50 to 7.00 euros, which makes LPG noticeably more profitable than pure gasoline or diesel. However, this system brings with it specific additional costs - investment for initial installation, periodic maintenance of gas filters and injectors, more frequent replacement of spark plugs, as well as mandatory annual inspections of the cylinder, which partially reduce the net financial benefit compared to electric drives.
In comparison, the bill for gasoline and diesel modifications seems significantly heavier for the budget. With current fuel prices in our country of about 1.50 euros per liter of A-95 gasoline and 1.60 euros per liter of diesel, a vehicle with a conventional gasoline engine requires between 9.50 and 11.50 euros per hundred kilometers of mileage. Diesel cars are positioned slightly below this limit with a cost of approximately 8.50 to 10.00 euros. Deteriorating urban conditions and traffic jams further aggravate the performance of internal combustion engines, while with electric propulsion a high percentage of energy is recovered with each stop.
However, the advantages of electric vehicles are far from being limited to the price per kilowatt-hour. The lack of engine oil, spark plugs, fuel filters, exhaust system components and complex multi-stage transmissions makes periodic servicing significantly simpler and cheaper. Brake mechanisms also suffer significantly less wear thanks to regenerative braking, which extends the life of pads and discs several times.
In addition to direct savings on service and fuel, a number of Bulgarian municipalities continue to offer incentives such as a complete exemption from annual tax and the right to free parking in paid urban areas. All this makes an electric car an extremely profitable investment, but mainly for drivers who have the ability to charge at home.