Peder Zandén Kjellén researches sustainable transport at the University of Gävle.

In the clip, he sorts out myths and claims about the electric car.

Which is more expensive - a new electric car or a fossil car?

As so often, there is no crystal clear answer.

It is about what type of car you consider you need and how much you drive.

This is what a rough financial calculation might look like:

Higher purchase price

An all-electric car costs more than the same model that runs entirely or in part on fossil fuels.

But the price difference is shrinking as manufacturers launch more and more "ordinary" electric cars that do not belong to the premium segment.

The cheapest electric cars today cost SEK 200,000 after bonus, but then in the name of truth they are quite cramped and nothing for long trips with the family.

A more spacious electric compact SUV (medium-sized city jeep) with a range of 45 miles from a South Korean manufacturer costs SEK 415,000 after deducting the environmental bonus.

The same car with hybrid operation (not plug-in hybrid) costs SEK 284,800 (the model is not only available with an internal combustion engine).

For those who only look at the purchase price, the electric car is thus 45 percent more expensive, and then the higher financing cost is still not included.

Lower operating costs

The electric motor is much more efficient than the internal combustion engine, where 70 percent of the energy in the fuel is lost in the form of heat.

An electric car of "medium size" consumes approximately 1.5 kWh per mile, which costs SEK 2.50-3.

If you can charge at home, that is, fast charging stations charge more for electricity and give the same car a mileage cost of 6-8 kronor.

The corresponding fossil car has roughly calculated a fuel cost of SEK 7-10 per mile.

Those who have the opportunity to recharge at home thus save up to seven kronor a mile on driving an electric car.

But in order for the electric car owner to "drive in" the 130,000 kronor extra that the electric car in the example costs to buy, the person in question needs to steer around their vehicle for about 20 000 km.

Something that takes just over 10 years to do for most everyday drivers.

Another thing that speaks for the electric car in the calculation is the lower service costs, it does not need to change oil or timing belt.

In addition, the wear on the engine and transmission is less, which means longer service life.

Better resale value

Electric cars are sought after in the used market and, above all, exclusive models have proven to retain their value well.

But even more "normal" electric cars are expected to defy the old rule of thumb that a new car loses half its value in the first three years / 6000 miles.

The differences will probably increase in the future, as used petrol and diesel cars are expected to be less in demand, thus falling faster in price.

If you look at private leasing, where a large part of what the customer pays for each month is precisely the reduction in value of the car, you see that car companies expect to get well paid for electric cars when the leasing period ends.

According to the price list, the electric compact SUV in the example costs from SEK 3,295 a month to lease for three years.

It is exactly as much as the hybrid variant costs, even though the latter is clearly cheaper to buy.

This shows that the company expects an all-electric car to retain its value significantly longer than one with an internal combustion engine.

What does the car really cost?

Here you can test the University of Gävle's car cost calculation

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Hear motoring journalist Jan-Erik Berggren explain what is most important to think about if you are buying an electric car.

Photo: SVT / Fredrik Sandberg / TT