According to several independent studies from 2024 and 2025, electric car maintenance costs are, on average, 30 to 40% lower than those of a petrol vehicle in the same class. These are not estimates taken from advertising materials, but figures confirmed, among others, by analyses from the U.S. Department of Energy and European studies covering markets similar to Montenegro. The difference adds up gradually: through service intervals, fuel costs, registration, and the lifespan of key components.

The question is not whether this difference exists. In its 2025 annual report, the IEA confirms that electric cars generally have lower total ownership costs than petrol vehicles in the same class. In this article, we will calculate what that means for a driver in Montenegro who covers 15,000 km per year: servicing, charging, registration, and the total five-year cost.

Electric Car Maintenance Costs: What Do They Actually Include?

A petrol engine can have up to 2,000 moving parts, while an electric motor has fewer than 20, according to data from the U.S. Department of Energy. This difference in mechanical complexity is precisely what explains why electric car maintenance costs are significantly lower than those of petrol cars. It is not a marketing assumption, but a direct consequence of the drivetrain architecture.

Every moving part is a potential fault and a likely service cost. In a petrol car, that list includes spark plugs, oil filters, fuel filters, the camshaft, catalytic converter, and several dozen other components. In an EV, that list does not exist.

EV vs Petrol Car Service Intervals

EVs are serviced once a year or every 20,000 to 25,000 km, while petrol cars usually require servicing every 10,000 to 15,000 km. That difference in frequency alone reduces costs by 30 to 50%. Annual servicing for a petrol car typically costs between €150 and €250, while for an EV it ranges from €80 to €130.

A standard EV service includes:

• tyre rotation and balancing
• brake system inspection
• cabin filter replacement
• battery cooling system inspection

Brake pads are a separate category where electric car maintenance costs differ most noticeably from those of petrol cars. According to data from the RAC Foundation and Wagner, EV brake pads last two to three times longer than petrol car pads thanks to regenerative braking.

EV Charging Costs vs Fuel Costs in Montenegro

Fuel is the area where the advantage of electric car maintenance costs is easiest to calculate and easiest to feel. Montenegro is in a particularly favourable position here because, according to current EPCG tariffs, the higher daytime tariff is around €0.103/kWh, while the lower night-time tariff is around €0.051/kWh. Podgorica remains one of the cheapest capitals in Europe in terms of electricity prices, which makes the calculation especially attractive for EV owners.

A Specific Calculation per 100 km: Home Charging vs Public Charging vs Petrol

An electric car consumes, on average, between 15 and 20 kWh per 100 km, so the cost of home charging directly depends on which part of the day you use electricity. At the night- time tariff, electric car maintenance costs on the fuel side come down to €0.77 to €1.02 per 100 km. At the daytime tariff, that amount is €1.55 to €2.06, which is still several times lower than the petrol equivalent.

Fuel prices in Montenegro are among the lower ones in the region, but they change frequently, so it is not advisable to treat them as a fixed figure. An average petrol car consumes 7 to 7.5 litres per 100 km, which, at current retail prices, amounts to between €10 and €12 for the same distance. Home charging, even at the daytime tariff, is five to six times cheaper.

At an annual mileage of 15,000 km, fuel savings alone amount to between €1,200 and €1,700, depending on the tariff and your vehicle’s consumption. When lower servicing costs are added to that figure, the overall maintenance costs of an electric car become an argument that is difficult to ignore. Even when using only public chargers, an electric car generally remains a more affordable option than a petrol car on an annual basis.

Hidden Costs: Insurance, Registration, Tyres, Battery

Electric car maintenance costs do not end with fuel and servicing. Insurance is, on average, 10 to 15% more expensive than for a petrol car in the same class due to the higher purchase price of the vehicle. However, tyres are a similar expense, battery replacement is not a realistic cost item within the first ten years of use, and EVs do not pay CO2-related registration fees. In terms of support, the situation is much better than most buyers in Montenegro assume.

Subsidies and Incentives for Electric Cars in Montenegro

Montenegro has an active Eco Fund that periodically announces subsidies for electric vehicles, and the current status of each call should be checked directly on the institution’s website. On the Montenegrin market, the distributor A Drive represents the Chinese brands VOYAH, Dongfeng, and BAIC, with models such as the Voyah Free and Voyah Courage. In terms of equipment, range, and price, these models are well positioned for buyers who want a serious entry into electric driving without the European premium price tag. With a potential Eco Fund subsidy, the payback period for models in this price range can fall below three years.

In some municipalities, there are also local incentives for EV parking and registration, while electric car maintenance costs in Montenegro are becoming less and less of a reason to postpone the switch to electric driving. The EU’s IPA III fund is financing the development of EV charging stations, which indirectly reduces dependence on home charging as the only option.

Five-Year Calculation: How Much Do You Really Save?

Electric car maintenance costs over a five-year period are most clearly seen through the difference in fuel costs, because other items vary too much to be predicted uniformly down to the euro. At 15,000 km per year and with home charging, the fuel-cost difference alone exceeds €1,300 per year, which amounts to more than €6,500 saved over five years, without any subsidies or additional incentives.

Other operating costs generally move in the following direction:

• Servicing: significantly cheaper for an EV because there is no oil change, fuel filter, or spark plug replacement
• Registration: varies from municipality to municipality and depends on the specific model
• Tyres: a similar cost for both vehicle types
• Insurance: the only category where the EV loses, due to the higher purchase price of the vehicle

Studies based on samples of several thousand vehicles show that most EV batteries retain more than 80% of their capacity even at 200,000 km, so battery replacement does not enter the realistic maintenance-cost calculation for the first owner of an electric car. With a typical purchase-price difference of €3,000 to €5,000 in favour of the petrol car, the payback point comes in the third or fourth year of ownership, and everything after that is a direct saving in favour of the EV.

EVs in Montenegro: Cost-Effectiveness That Is Hard to Ignore

When all the costs are on the table, the electric car in Montenegro is no longer just an environmental statement — it has become a financially rational decision. The fuel-cost difference alone at 15,000 km per year exceeds €1,300, service intervals are less frequent and cheaper, and occasional Eco Fund subsidies lower the entry barrier even further. A Montenegrin driver with home charging and average annual mileage objectively spends less than the owner of a petrol car in the same class, without needing any ecological conviction to justify the choice.

Calculations change with fuel prices and electricity tariffs, but the ratio remains consistently in favour of EVs. If you have been postponing the decision while waiting for the right moment, the figures in this article suggest that it has already arrived. In 2026, electric car maintenance costs, adjusted to Montenegrin conditions and current EPCG tariffs, are an argument that is difficult to ignore.