The long road from Berlin to Madrid
A team of reporters left the Gigafactory in Berlin after a factory tour and pointed two EVs toward Madrid. They chose a Model Y with rear‑wheel drive and a Model 3 Highland, both in Long Range configuration. The plan was simple: drive 2,500 km and measure real‑world costs and time. Every stop at Tesla Superchargers doubled as a stretch break and a chance to chat with curious locals.
Charging proved impressively swift, with several sessions finishing before the team’s coffee cups were empty. The cars navigated from hub to hub with seamless routing, and the plugs were available more often than not in Germany and France. Momentum stayed high, and the cars’ thermal management kept peak rates consistent on long stints.
As the kilometers ticked by, the crew tracked energy use, receipts, and the rolling cadence of stops. They also logged comparable fuel numbers for diesel and gasoline, relying on transparent EU averages. The result was a data set anchored in familiar long‑haul habits, not lab‑bench theory.
Counting euros and minutes
For consistency, the team used official European averages for electricity, gasoline, and diesel prices across the countries crossed. They assumed 7.0 l/100 km for gasoline and 5.5 l/100 km for diesel, a reasonable long‑trip benchmark. All EV top‑ups were done on Tesla’s rapid network to keep the pace high.
At the end of 2,500 km, the total spent on fast charging was €53.62 more than fueling an equivalent diesel on the same route. If the comparison car had been a gasoline model at 7.0 l/100 km, the gap to the EV would have widened to €136.61. In cost‑per‑kilometer and cost‑per‑hour terms, the diesel still kept a narrow but noticeable edge.
“We learned that on long, fast European corridors, price at the plug can outweigh the EV’s efficiency,” one reporter noted. The bottom line was a sober trade‑off, not a blowout win for any single technology.
Why diesel still wins—this time
On long freeway legs, energy density and refuel speed still favor diesel. Even with excellent charging hardware, time and price converge against the EV at public ultra‑fast tariffs. The energy itself is competitively priced, but the convenience markup at 150–250 kW is steep.
Aerodynamics, temperature, and cruising speeds also matter. Hold 120–130 km/h with roof‑rack boxes or strong headwinds, and EV consumption rises faster than most drivers expect. Meanwhile, a modern diesel hums along at low rpm, sipping fuel with stoic consistency.
Viewed strictly through the long‑distance lens of public fast charging, diesel retains tactical advantages. The difference isn’t massive, but it’s persistent enough to sway cost‑sensitive travelers who value simple splash‑and‑go stops.
The important caveats
Change the charging mix, and the equation shifts. Add slow overnight AC sessions at hotels or homes, and the price per kWh often drops dramatically. Blend rapid and off‑peak charging, and the EV’s total cost can undercut diesel.
Maintenance also tilts the long‑term math. Diesel engines carry pricier servicing, frequent oil changes, and complex emissions components. EVs typically need less maintenance, fewer wear items, and benefit from regenerative braking saving pads and rotors.
Context matters beyond costs. Urban clean‑air zones, noise restrictions, and company‑car taxation can make an EV decisively more attractive. Conversely, sparse rural infrastructure or tight schedules may keep diesel in many fleets’ plans.
What drivers should do next
- If your life is mainly long motorway runs with tight arrival windows, a modern diesel still offers sharp cost/time efficiency.
- If you can charge at home or overnight at destinations, an EV’s operating costs can drop well below diesel.
- If you road‑trip occasionally, plan a mixed strategy: cheap AC when parked, rapid DC only when you truly need the speed.
- Always check local tariffs before you go; public fast‑charge pricing is the biggest swing factor.
- Keep your cruising speed reasonable; small reductions can yield big savings for any powertrain.
The test’s takeaway isn’t a referendum on EVs so much as a snapshot of today’s infrastructure and pricing. Public ultra‑fast charging is brilliant for convenience, but you pay for that speed at the meter. Diesel’s advantage emerges when you treat a 2,500 km journey like a relay of short, efficient refuels.
Yet the story flips when the overnight plug is part of your routine. Price certainty, low maintenance, and quiet torque make EVs compelling for daily use and many regional trips. As networks expand and pricing becomes more competitive, the long‑haul gap should continue to shrink.
For now, the verdict is nuanced rather than absolute. On this fast‑charge‑only itinerary, diesel had the upper hand. But with smarter charging choices and evolving prices, many drivers can tilt the balance in the electric car’s favor without sacrificing the rhythm of the road.
