Fuel prices are dropping. How much does it cost to drive 100 km on gasoline, diesel, and an electric car with CPN 3?
The government announced on October 2, 2026, the third edition of the “Lower Fuel Prices” program, which will be in effect from October 3 until the end of 2026. Maximum prices for gasoline and diesel were set for the first three days. Drivers will not have to pay more than 6.73 zł per liter of 95 octane gasoline, 7.59 zł per liter of 98 octane gasoline, and 7.88 zł per liter of diesel from Saturday to Monday at gas stations.
However, it is important to note a key detail. While the program itself will last until December 31, the specified maximum prices apply only to the period from October 3 to 5. It is not yet known what limits will be in effect later or how frequently they will be updated. For drivers, this means that today’s prices can serve as a reference point, but one should not assume that gasoline at 6.73 zł will be available throughout the quarter.
For electric vehicle users, an interesting question arises: how much does it cost to drive 100 km on an electric car compared to a gasoline or diesel car? The answer here is more interesting than it might seem.
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How much does it cost to drive 100 km on a gasoline car?
At a maximum price of 6.73 PLN per liter for 95 octane gasoline, a car that consumes 6 liters per 100 km needs fuel costing 40.38 PLN to cover 100 km. If the consumption is 7 liters per 100 km, the cost rises to 47.11 PLN, while a car using 8 liters per 100 km requires fuel costing 53.84 PLN.
This shows how important actual fuel consumption is. A compact car with a gasoline engine can easily have a consumption of around 6–7 liters per 100 km, whereas a larger SUV or heavier car on the highway can approach 8–10 liters per 100 km.
With a fuel consumption of 10 l/100 km, the cost to travel 100 km at a price of 6.73 PLN/l is 67.30 PLN. In this case, the difference compared to an energy-efficient electric car charged at home becomes quite significant.
So how much does it cost to travel 100 km on diesel?
The maximum price for diesel fuel is 7.88 PLN/l. A car that consumes 5 l/100 km will cost 39.40 PLN to travel 100 km. At 6 l/100 km, the cost is 47.28 PLN, and at 7 l/100 km, it is 55.16 PLN.
Diesel can still be a very cost-effective option, especially for long trips. However, it should be remembered that fuel consumption alone doesn’t tell the whole story about a car’s operating costs. In the case of older diesel vehicles, factors such as DPF filters, SCR systems, AdBlue, and turbines come into play, and potential repairs for these components can quickly offset the savings from lower fuel consumption.
How much does it cost to drive 100 km with an electric car?
The situation is completely different for electric cars, as there isn’t a single energy price. We can charge the car using our own solar panel system, take advantage of a home tariff, or connect it to a fast DC charger, where the cost per kilowatt-hour can be several times higher.
For comparison, let’s use 18 kWh/100 km. This value works well as a reference point for many electric cars, though the actual consumption can be much lower or higher depending on the model, temperature, speed, and driving style.
If energy costs 1.20 PLN/kWh, driving 100 km will cost 21.60 PLN. At 2 PLN/kWh, it’s 36 PLN, and at 3 PLN/kWh, it’s as much as 54 PLN.
This is where the biggest difference between an electric car charged at home and one that primarily uses public chargers becomes apparent.
A solar-powered electric car can have energy costs drop to 0 zł
The most interesting scenario arises when the car owner has their own solar installation and charges the vehicle using energy whose variable cost is assumed here to be 0 zł/kWh.
Under such assumptions, the 18 kWh needed to travel 100 km costs 0 zł. Of course, this doesn’t mean that generating energy from solar panels is completely free. The installation requires investment, needs maintenance, and the billing method for producers also matters. However, in a typical cost comparison of energy, 0 zł/kWh can be assumed if the car is charged using excess energy from one’s own system.
In such a scenario, the difference compared to a gasoline car is enormous. With a fuel consumption of 7 liters per 100 kilometers, a gasoline car currently costs around 47.11 zł per 100 kilometers. An electric car using its own solar energy can cover the same distance without any additional energy costs.
Home charging at 1.20 zł/kWh still offers a significant advantage
However, not everyone has solar panels or the ability to charge their car solely with self-generated energy. Let’s consider a more typical situation where the charging cost is 1.20 zł/kWh.
With a consumption of 18 kWh per 100 kilometers, this amounts to 21.60 zł per 100 kilometers. This is less than half the cost of driving 100 kilometers with a gasoline car that consumes 7 liters per 100 kilometers, and less than half the cost of a diesel car that uses 6 liters per 100 kilometers.
Importantly, we are discussing here the cost of electricity at the outlet. In practice, losses during charging can be added to the costs. If a car shows 18 kWh/100 km as the energy used for driving, it may draw slightly more from the grid. Therefore, the actual cost should be calculated based on the readings from the meter or wallbox, not solely on data from the car’s computer.
Charging at 2 zł/kWh. Still cheaper than gasoline
On the road, the situation looks different. Let’s assume a cost of 2 zł/kWh, which is already much higher than typical home charging.
With a consumption of 18 kWh/100 km, the cost is 36 zł per 100 km. This is still less than 47,11 zł for a gasoline car consuming 7 l/100 km and 47,28 zł for a diesel car using 6 l/100 km.
The advantage of electric vehicles still exists, but it is no longer as significant as when charging from one’s own solar panels. If someone mainly drives on highways and uses only expensive DC chargers, the economic advantage of an electric car can be much smaller.
At 3 zł/kWh, electric vehicles might be more expensive than fuel-efficient diesel
The situation becomes even more interesting at a price of 3 zł/kWh. In that case, the 18 kWh needed for 100 km costs 54 zł.
This is more than the cost of gasoline for a car that consumes 7 l/100 km, which at 6.73 zł/l requires about 47.11 zł for 100 km. It is also higher than the cost of diesel burning 6 l/100 km — 47.28 zł.
This doesn’t mean electric cars become unprofitable. The issue isn’t the technology itself but rather the cost of energy. If someone charges their car at 3 PLN/kWh all the time, their bill for 100 km could be higher than that of a driver with a fuel-efficient gasoline car.
Therefore, comparing EVs solely based on the cost of energy at fast chargers doesn’t make much sense. Similarly, it would be unfair to compare a gasoline car that only uses the cheapest fuel with an electric car that is always charged at the most expensive station.
Gasoline vs. Electric – Cost Table for 100 km
The assumptions are 6, 7, and 8 liters/100 km for gasoline, 5, 6, and 7 liters/100 km for diesel, and 18 kWh/100 km for electric cars.
Car / Variant
Fuel consumption
Cost of energy/fuel
Cost per 100 km
95 octane gasoline
6 liters/100 km
6.73 PLN/l
40.38 PLN
95 octane gasoline
7 l/100 km
6.73 PLN/l
47.11 PLN
95 octane gasoline
8 l/100 km
6.73 PLN/l
53.84 PLN
Diesel
5 l/100 km
7.88 PLN/l
39.40 PLN
Diesel
6 l/100 km
7.88 PLN/l
47.28 PLN
Diesel
7 l/100 km
7.88 PLN/l
55.16 PLN
EV + photovoltaic
18 kWh/100 km
0 PLN/kWh
0 PLN
EV + home charging
18 kWh/100 km
1.20 PLN/kWh
21.60 PLN
EV + charging on the road
18 kWh/100 km
2.00 PLN/kWh
36.00 PLN
EV + expensive DC charging
18 kWh/100 km
3.00 PLN/kWh
54.00 PLN
How much can be saved on 1000 km?
Only by converting these values to a longer distance does the scale of the differences become apparent. For 1000 km, a gasoline car that consumes 7 l/100 km requires about 471 zł for fuel. A diesel car that consumes 6 l/100 km costs around 473 zł.
An electric car that uses 18 kWh/100 km, with charging at 1.20 zł/kWh, needs 216 zł for the same distance. At a price of 2 zł/kWh, it would be 360 zł, and at 3 zł/kWh, it rises to 540 zł.
If the car uses its own energy from solar panels, under our simplified assumption, the cost of energy is 0 zł per 1000 km.
This means that compared to a gasoline car consuming 7 l/100 km, the difference is about 255 zł per 1000 km when charging at 1.20 zł/kWh. Over 20,000 km per year, this results in a difference of over 5,000 zł just for energy costs.
What about the “Lower Fuel Prices” program?
The government program undoubtedly reduces the cost of fueling gasoline-powered cars. For drivers using gasoline or diesel, this means lower bills at gas stations, at least during the period when the set limits are in effect.
However, this does not change the fundamental relationship. The cost of driving 100 km with an electric car depends primarily on where the car is charged. With one’s own solar power system, the difference compared to a gasoline car is enormous. Even with home electricity at 1.20 zł/kWh, the difference remains very significant. At 2 zł/kWh, electric cars can still be cheaper, but at 3 zł/kWh, the advantage disappears.
This also shows why, when buying an electric car, it’s worth considering not only the battery capacity and maximum charging power but also where the car will be charged on a daily basis. For someone with a garage and wallbox, the cost of operating an EV will be completely different from that of a driver living in an apartment and relying solely on public chargers.
The most important factor is the total cost of ownership
Today’s fuel prices show one important thing: an electric car isn’t always the cheapest option under all circumstances. It’s pointless to claim that every EV always costs a few or dozen zlotys per 100 km.
An electric car charged at home can be very inexpensive to operate, but one charged only on expensive DC chargers can cost as much or even more than a fuel-efficient gasoline car.
The “Lower Fuel Prices” program itself does not change the answer to whether an EV is cost-effective. It does show, however, that electric vehicles gain the greatest advantage when their owners have access to cheaper electricity. And that is precisely why having a private parking space with charging capabilities can today be one of the most important arguments in favor of electric vehicles.
