Why brochure figures do not work in real life
Every carmaker publishes commercial numbers that are technically correct but rarely match what a driver sees at the pump. The declared consumption is measured in ideal conditions, without air conditioning, at average speeds and without short cold-start trips. Real-world consumption is typically 15 to 25 percent higher.
For this article we used realistic numbers for a driver who:
- Lives in Banja Luka and mostly drives in the city
- Covers 20,000 kilometres a year
- Uses air conditioning in summer and heating in winter
- Drives a car that is 5 to 10 years old (a typical used car in the region)
Petrol
An average petrol car from 2015-2020 in city driving consumes between 7 and 9 litres per 100 km. At a petrol price of around 2.80 KM per litre, that comes to:
- Annual fuel cost: 3,920 to 5,040 KM
- Cost per kilometre: 19.6 to 25.2 feninga
Upsides: simple maintenance, readily available spare parts, the engine can comfortably cover more than 300,000 km if serviced regularly.
Diesel
Diesel uses less fuel, but the price at the pump is close to petrol, so the savings are nowhere near as dramatic as they were a decade ago. An average diesel from the same period consumes 5 to 6.5 litres per 100 km in the city.
- Diesel price: around 2.85 KM per litre
- Annual fuel cost: 2,850 to 3,705 KM
- Cost per kilometre: 14.3 to 18.5 feninga
Upsides: longer range, better suited to long trips. Downsides: more expensive DPF and EGR servicing, poor tolerance of short city trips, costly common-rail repairs.
LPG (autogas)
A properly installed and tuned LPG system on a petrol car raises consumption in litres by about 10 to 15 percent (because LPG has less energy per litre than petrol). But the price of LPG is almost half that of petrol. Average consumption for the same petrol car running on gas is 7.5 to 10 litres per 100 km.
- LPG price: around 1.60 KM per litre
- Annual fuel cost: 2,400 to 3,200 KM
- Cost per kilometre: 12 to 16 feninga
Upsides: the lowest fuel cost of any conventional solution, the system fits most petrol cars, and the installation usually pays for itself within two years. Downsides: regular filter servicing and a small loss of boot space for the tank.
Hybrid (HEV/PHEV)
A hybrid vehicle, say a Toyota Auris, Corolla or Yaris, achieves 3.5 to 5 litres per 100 km in city driving. But those figures only hold for cars in good condition with a healthy battery.
- Annual fuel cost: 1,960 to 2,800 KM
- Cost per kilometre: 9.8 to 14 feninga
Upsides: the lowest conventional fuel consumption, quiet city driving, less brake wear thanks to regenerative braking. Downsides: a higher up-front price, and older hybrid batteries can surprise you with an expensive replacement (2,500 to 5,000 KM), although this rarely happens before 200,000 km.
Electric vehicle (EV)
An average electric car consumes between 15 and 22 kWh per 100 km in real-world city driving, with variations from model to model and depending on the season.
- At home: household electricity in BiH typically costs 0.25 to 0.30 KM per kWh, so the annual bill is 750 to 1,320 KM
- Public DC chargers: the price is 0.70 to 1.10 KM per kWh, so the same driver would pay 2,100 to 4,840 KM
A realistic figure for an owner who mixes home and public charging in a 70/30 ratio: 1,155 to 2,370 KM a year.
- Cost per kilometre (mixed charging): 5.8 to 11.9 feninga
Upsides: the lowest direct cost per kilometre, minimal drivetrain maintenance, quiet driving. Downsides: a high up-front price, reliance on home charging for the maths to work, winter range loss, and long-term uncertainty around the battery.
The full picture
If you only compare fuel, the order in practice looks like this, from cheapest to most expensive per kilometre:
- EV with home charging - 6 to 10 feninga/km
- Hybrid - 10 to 14 feninga/km
- LPG on a petrol car - 12 to 16 feninga/km
- Diesel - 14 to 18 feninga/km
- Petrol - 20 to 25 feninga/km
But this is NOT the full bill. Once you factor in the up-front price, maintenance, insurance and the risk of a bigger future repair, the picture changes.
For most drivers in BiH who run used cars aged 5 to 15 years, LPG on their existing petrol car is the simplest and fastest way to meaningfully cut monthly running costs, without changing the car and without major surprises.
If this sounds interesting and you are thinking about an installation, get in touch. We first check the condition of the engine and the car, and only agree to go ahead if it actually makes sense.