Ola founder and Ola Electric CEO Bhavish Aggarwal recently set off a heated discussion on social media after making a bold claim about electric vehicles. In a post on X, Aggarwal said EVs are “90% cheaper” to run than petrol vehicles, and backed it up with numbers. While many agreed that EVs are clearly cheaper to operate day to day, netizens were quick to point out that the comparison tells only part of the story.

Bhavish Aggarwal’s EV maths sparks debate 

“Shocking how little people understand the savings EVs bring! , Truth is EVs are 90% cheaper! We should have marketed this better and now we will do it,” Aggarwal wrote on X. Breaking down the numbers, he compared a petrol two-wheeler with an electric one. “Here’s the math: Fuel efficiency of an ICE 2W – 50 kmpl. At ₹100 pl petrol, that is ₹2 per km. Our 2W EVs run at 30 Wh/km. That is 33km per KWh. 1 unit electricity is ₹6.5. So that means ₹0.2 per km. 90% cheaper,” he added. 

Speaking of which, his math on energy cost is not wrong. Charging an EV does cost far less than filling up a petrol tank, especially for daily commuters.

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Are EVs 90 percent cheaper? Where netizens say the claim falls short

Several users pointed out that running cost is only one part of the equation. The total cost of ownership (TCO) includes much more. One common criticism was depreciation. Many users argued that EV scooters cost significantly more upfront, which means the savings don’t immediately balance out.

“OP ignores depreciation on purpose; EV bikes cost a lot more upfront so TCO is higher over the first 1-2 years and even after 5-6 yrs is not the 90% as claimed,” one X user pointed out.

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Another major concern raised was battery replacement. While charging is cheap, EV batteries don’t last forever. Users asked how long the battery would realistically run and how much replacing it would cost, especially after three to five years of use. Some also flagged the lack of clarity around battery disposal and the environmental impact of dead batteries, questioning whether EVs are as clean as they are made out to be.

For many buyers, safety concerns outweigh fuel savings. Several users sarcastically pointed out that the “biggest saving” is when a vehicle doesn’t catch fire. Others eferenced past incidents involving EV scooters overheating or catching fire.

But despite the loopholes and cherry-picked’ data, a section of users said Aggarwal’s explanation was clear and to the point. They praised him for breaking down the numbers in a simple way, arguing that on pure energy costs, EVs do offer massive savings, a point they said deserves attention.

Looking beyond social media, data suggests that electric scooters do make financial sense — but not in the  way the “90% cheaper” line suggests. EVs save a lot on fuel. Over five years, charging costs can be more than ₹1 lakh cheaper than petrol. Maintenance is also lower because EVs have fewer moving parts.

But higher upfront prices, battery replacement costs, uncertain resale value, and safety perception can dilute those savings. In most real-world cases, EVs are clearly cheaper in the long run, but not overwhelmingly so in the first few years.