Is a hybrid worth it for your driving?

Real-world figures only. Preset consumption and range come from Australia's independent Real-World Testing Program (measured at the power point, charging losses included) and published Australian road tests — never the windscreen label. Our EV cost series documents the gaps: the petrol cars in this tool measured 3–22% thirstier than claimed, and the plug-in hybrid's brochure figure (0.8–1.1 L/100km) assumes a battery that's always charged — we model the honest version, where electric share follows how often you actually plug in (SAE J2841 daily-distance method) and everything past that burns petrol at its measured depleted rate.

• Prices are drive-away presets checked August 2026 — car prices move; edit them to match your quotes.
• Solar charging isn't free: it costs the ~4c/kWh feed-in you'd otherwise earn. Solar+battery charging blends to ~20c/kWh — energy routed through a battery mostly displaces evening household use, not exports.
• Payback is simple (undiscounted); the "position after N years" discounts future savings at 3.5% real, the same basis as our published EV models. 15-year positions that include a new solar system also pay for an inverter replacement (~year 11).
• Servicing uses capped-price schedules averaged over 5 years, held flat beyond — schedules end and out-of-warranty risk runs both ways.
• Left out, on purpose: resale differences, insurance, tyres, a wall charger (most drivers manage on a power point — add ~$1,800 to the EV's price if you'd need one), and PHEV battery fade (~2%/yr).

Built on the same published, panel-reviewed model as our hatchback and SUV studies — download the full workbook and check us. Petrol context: the excise jump, explained.