MKL CARS

For a PCO car driver, choosing the wrong PCO car can cost you thousands of pounds every year. 

It's because your earnings revolve around the car. Every pound you put into maintenance and fuel directly affects your net income. 

So it's common to start with electric vs hybrid cars and think which one saves you the most. 

According to UK government vehicle licensing data, electric vehicles made up 23% of new car registrations in 2025, compared to 19% a year earlier, while petrol car registrations continued falling. (Source)

The shift is clearly visible across the private car-hiring industry due to cost, vehicle maintenance, and rising fuel prices. 

But the answer is not as simple as “electric is better.”

For some PCO drivers, EVs can dramatically lower running costs. For others, hybrid options through PCO vehicle hire still make more practical and financial sense depending on driving patterns, charging access, and daily mileage.

Today, in this article, we will break down each key point you should discuss while choosing between an electric and a hybrid car.  

The Real Cost Breakdown: Electric vs Hybrid in 2026

Fuel and Charging

• Hybrid Cars: UK petrol prices are still far from stable, and with real-world PCO use, hybrid fuel-only running costs can be expected to be in the range of 12p to 16p per mile, depending on the amount of motorway driving and the efficiency of the self-charging system.
• Electric Cars: Home charging of EVs at night on an 'off-peak' tariff costs around 4p to 7p per mile. On standard tariffs, that works out at 6-9p. 

Costs for public rapid chargers — some drivers use for station-to-station charging — can be 16p per mile or higher, virtually negating the benefits.

The numbers say it all: If you can charge at home, an electric PCO car is usually much cheaper to run. Relying on public charging reduces those savings.

Servicing and Maintenance

• Hybrid vehicles: They require oil changes, exhaust systems, timing belts, and other wear parts. The annual servicing costs for a PCO hybrid range from £400 to £700, depending on the model and mileage.
• Electric Cars: The design of EVs is much simpler because they have far fewer moving parts. No oil changes, no exhaust, and no brake wear, thanks to the regenerative braking system. 

The annual costs to keep a PCO used EV running are between £150 and £300.

ULEZ, Congestion Charge, and Clean Air Zones

• Hybrid vehicles: All modern hybrid PCO cars are ULEZ compliant, so no charge for using London's Ultra Low Emission Zone per day. 
• Electric Cars: Electric vehicles are also free from ULEZ charges – not only in London, but also in Clean Air Zones in other cities such as Birmingham, Bristol, Bradford, and Sheffield.

The Congestion Charge has changed. From January 2026, EVs are no longer fully exempt — they now qualify for a 25% discount on the full charge, which works out at £18 per day when entering Central London.

Hybrid vehicles pay the full charge unless they meet a very low CO₂ threshold under the ULEZ Auto Pay scheme.

For drivers working exclusively in Central London, this is a meaningful daily cost to factor in. For most PCO drivers using PCO Car Hire services in broader London or other UK cities, it’s less relevant.

Read our latest article: How to Upload Your PCO Documents to the Uber App (Step-by-Step)

Which Type of Driver Are You? Matching Your Choice to Your Situation

The City-First Driver (London, Birmingham, Manchester centre)

City driving with short trips, too frequent stops, as well as heavy traffic are among the conditions where hybrid and all-electric vehicles truly excel. Both implement regenerative braking, neither of which suffer from a diesel's stop-start driving.

Best fit: Electric PCO car, as you will need to charge it at home. Your mileage is good enough so that the extra cost of renting is outweighed by the extra money you save per mile. 

They include models such as MG5 EV, with a good range (WLTP 235 miles), reliability with PCO usage, and low weekly rental fees.

The Mixed Driver (City + Airport Runs)

You're doing a mix of urban work and longer transfers — Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester Airport. You rack up the miles and driving to the motorway means timing with charging is vital.

Best fit: A plug-in hybrid (PHEV) such as the MG HS or Toyota Corolla PHEV is a good choice here. 

City driving = electric only, long drives without stopping to charge = petrol. 

But regular charging of the battery is essential — if most of the time you're driving petrol, you are missing out on the monetary gain.

Alternative: A longer range EV (250+ miles real-world) with planned rapid charging during downtime remains superior to hybrid economics at PCO mileage levels after making allowance for the savings of servicing.

The Part-Time Driver (Weekends, Evenings Only)

You're not covering enormous mileage. Perhaps 15,000–25,000 miles per year.

Best fit: If you're looking for a self-charging hybrid, the Toyota Yaris Hybrid or Corolla Hybrid could be the best choice. You will not be charging at home, you will not be doing massive mileage, and hybrids will need no changes to your routine.

The Charging Reality in 2026

Range anxiety has reduced significantly. The full coverage of public charge point infrastructure throughout the UK has also seen steady growth year-on-year, and rapid chargers are more widely available for urban PCO drivers.

 It is the important question of where you will be charging and what it costed.

• Home charging remains the game-changer. Off-peak tariffs from providers like Octopus Go can drop overnight rates to between 7p and 12p per kWh.
•  A full charge on an MG5 EV at those rates costs around £4–£5, giving you roughly 200 real-world miles. Do that every night, and your fuel bill becomes almost negligible.

Renting vs Owning: A Note on Risk for PCO Drivers

Buying or financing an EV outright is a significant capital commitment, and PCO drivers face a unique consideration:

• High mileage means rapid depreciation
• Battery technology is still evolving
• A car bought today could be worth considerably less in three years than an equivalent low-mileage vehicle

Renting a PCO car removes that depreciation risk entirely:

• You know your weekly cost, it doesn't change
• When better models become available, you're not locked in
• For drivers considering making the switch from petrol to electric for the first time, renting gives you the ability to test your charging setup, your shift pattern, and your actual running costs without a long-term financial commitment

Available now at MKL PCO Car Hire:

• MG5 Long Range — £179 per week, all inclusive (insurance, servicing, breakdown cover and PCO compliance) — Uber-ready from the get-go
• MG HS PHEV — from £239 per week, gives drivers the freedom of a plug-in hybrid — Uber-ready from the get-go

2026 Regulatory Outlook: What's Coming Next

• One to watch: the Government has announced it will be implementing a pay-per-mile electric vehicle duty (eVED) from 2028. 

Even with this charge, EVs are expected to remain cheaper to run than petrol vehicles — petrol drivers already effectively pay around 5p per mile in fuel duty. 

But it does narrow the gap, and high-mileage PCO drivers will feel it more than most.

The smart move is to maximise savings now, while the EV cost advantage is at its widest.

The Honest Verdict

There is no single right answer — but clearer answers depend on your situation.

• Choose electric if: You have home charging, you're driving full-time, and you're working mostly urban routes. At PCO mileage levels, the fuel and servicing savings are substantial.
• Consider a Hybrid when: You do all of your city and some longer-distance driving, you have access to some charging, and you want to avoid range anxiety.
• Use a self-charging hybrid when: Part-time, short range, low maintainance, decent fuel economy, insufficient chargepoints at home.

Either way, in 2026, you can bet that the transition from a full petrol or diesel car is going to save you money. 

The question is just how much — and for most PCO drivers doing serious mileage, electric wins.

Looking for a flexible, all-inclusive PCO car hire in London? MKL PCO Car Hire offers electric and hybrid vehicles with no hidden costs, fully TfL-compliant, and Uber-ready from day one. 

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