Tesla vs Petrol on a 500 km Highway Trip: Which Costs Less?

One question I constantly get during long road trips with my 2023 Tesla Model Y Performance: "Is it really cheaper to travel long distance in an EV?" In this post, I'm using my own car's real data to make a concrete energy and cost comparison against conventionally-powered cars with similar performance specs.

To keep the comparison fair, I chose vehicles with similar horsepower, torque, and AWD systems. I've also calculated the winter vs. summer range difference separately — a crucial factor in Turkey's climate.

Vehicle Specs

Spec	Tesla Model Y Perf.	BMW M340i xDrive	Audi S3 Quattro
Power	534 hp	374 hp	333 hp
Torque	660 Nm	500 Nm	420 Nm
Drivetrain	Dual Motor AWD	xDrive AWD	Quattro AWD
0-100 km/h	3.7 sec	4.4 sec	4.8 sec
Energy Storage	75 kWh battery	59 L petrol	50 L petrol
Weight	~2,003 kg	~1,670 kg	~1,610 kg

Consumption at 140 km/h Cruise

140 km/h is a common cruising speed on Turkish highways. At this speed, aerodynamic drag increases significantly, pushing up consumption for both EVs and ICE vehicles.

Tesla Model Y Performance — Summer vs. Winter

Parameter	Summer (23°C)	Winter (0°C / -5°C)
Consumption	~24 kWh/100 km	~30 kWh/100 km
500 km total energy	120 kWh	150 kWh
Single-charge range	~296 km	~223 km
Charging stops	1 stop	2 stops
Charge time	~25 min	~50 min

ICE Vehicles — Real-World Consumption at 140 km/h

Factory specs and reality diverge considerably. Independent tests show real-world figures 50-65% above factory claims.

Parameter	BMW M340i xDrive	Audi S3 Quattro
Factory consumption	7.8 L/100 km	5.7 L/100 km
Real-world avg.	~11.4 L/100 km	~10.5 L/100 km
140 km/h consumption	~13.0 L/100 km	~11.5 L/100 km
500 km total	65.0 litres	57.5 litres
Single-tank range	~454 km	~435 km

500 km Cost Comparison

Current Turkey prices (Feb 2026): Unleaded 95: ₺57.04/L · DC fast charge avg.: ~₺13.00/kWh · Tesla Supercharger: ₺9.40/kWh

Summer Scenario (500 km · 140 km/h)

Parameter	Tesla (SC)	Tesla (3rd Party)	BMW M340i	Audi S3
Consumption	24 kWh/100km	24 kWh/100km	13.0 L/100km	11.5 L/100km
Total	120 kWh	120 kWh	65.0 L	57.5 L
Cost	₺1,128	₺1,560	₺3,708	₺3,280

Winter Scenario (500 km · 140 km/h)

Parameter	Tesla (SC)	Tesla (3rd Party)	BMW M340i	Audi S3
Consumption	30 kWh/100km	30 kWh/100km	13.5 L/100km	12.0 L/100km
Total	150 kWh	150 kWh	67.5 L	60.0 L
Cost	₺1,410	₺1,950	₺3,850	₺3,422

Annual 20,000 km Highway Projection

Assuming 40 trips of 500 km per year:

Vehicle	Summer / 500 km	Winter / 500 km	Annual Avg.
Tesla (Supercharger)	₺1,128	₺1,410	~₺50,760
Tesla (3rd Party DC)	₺1,560	₺1,950	~₺70,200
BMW M340i xDrive	₺3,708	₺3,850	~₺151,160
Audi S3 Quattro	₺3,280	₺3,422	~₺134,040

Conclusion

The numbers speak clearly:

With Tesla Supercharger: 70% cheaper than BMW in summer, 63% cheaper in winter. Even with 3rd-party DC charging: 58% cheaper in summer, 49% in winter.

Winter penalty is real but overstated: You need 2 stops instead of 1, and costs rise ~25%. But it's still far below ICE annual costs.

ICE cars stop too: At real-world 140 km/h consumption, BMW's tank does 454 km, Audi's 435 km — neither completes 500 km on a single tank.

Comfort trade-off: ICE refueling takes 5 minutes, Tesla charging 25 minutes. But a 25-minute break aligns perfectly with recommended rest intervals on long drives.

Home charging factor: If you depart with a full battery from home charging (~₺3/kWh), the first 280-300 km costs almost nothing. Total 500 km cost drops to ~₺780 — one-fifth of petrol.

Going faster AND cheaper with 534 hp versus 374 hp — that's the most tangible proof of the electric revolution.

Data Sources: Tesla data: EVSpecs, EVKX.net, EV Database · BMW/Audi: MotorEU, Fuelly.com real-world avg. · Fuel: Feb 16, 2026 Istanbul avg. · Charging: Esarj, ZES, Trugo, Tesla SC current tariffs · Winter range: Cars.com, TMC user data

#Tesla#BMW#Audi#ElectricVehicle#EnergyCost#Highway#Comparison

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