Fuel prices updated as of July 2026. We review this article every quarter.
A large farm isn't traversed: it's crossed, several times a day. Before sunrise, someone has already climbed up to the watering trough in the upper plot to check the float, gone down to the shed for a key, and climbed back up with two sacks, skirting around the eastern fence because the path along the stream is still muddy. By mid-morning, that route has been repeated two more times.
None of those trips appear as such in the accounting. The travel itself isn't billed: the monthly diesel fuel is billed, and the tractor's operating hours are accepted. But the cost is there and it's measurable. Moving around a property costs between 0,03 and 1,12 euros per kilometer depending on the vehicle used. More than thirty-five times difference for the same job.
The cost per kilometer
| Vehicle | Consumption | Cost/km | 6.000km/year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our electric UTV (Terrain EX4) | ~0,17 kWh/km | 0,03 € | ~ 165 € |
| Our diesel UTV (Terrain DX4s 800) | ~6-9 L/100 km | 0,10 - 0.14 € | ~575-865 € |
| 4x4 Pick-up off-road | ~15-20 L/100 km | 0,26 - 0,35 € | ~1.575-2.100 € |
| Tractor 90 HP at 10-15 km/h | ~7 L/h (≈47-70 L/100 km) | 0,75 - 1,12 € | ~4.480-6.720 € |
Diesel B at €1,60/L and diesel A at €1,75/L, pump prices in the Region of Murcia as of July 2026, according to the MITECO Hydrocarbons GeoportalIf you deduct the VAT, the diesel figures drop by around 17%.
A farm that travels 6.000 internal kilometers per year —five daily trips of four kilometers, the norm on a farm of 250 or 300 hectares— spends between 4.300 and 6.550 euros more per year doing them by tractor than by electricIn terms of energy alone, and for the same work.
Each number, with its origin
The tractor (~7 L/h). My own calculation for a 90 HP tractor at 10-15 km/h, the actual working speed within a farm, without implementBy treating it as a transport vehicle rather than a work machine, the standard method for estimating fuel consumption for agricultural machinery under partial load was applied. To compare this with real-world measurements, the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln publishes free fuel consumption tests for tractors, model by model, as do the OECD Tractor Codes.
The pick-up (~15-20 L/100 km). The official fuel consumption figure for your pickup is listed in its WLTP data sheet and is publicly available. However, the WLTP is a highway cycle: it doesn't account for rough terrain, low gears, or average speeds of 25 km/h. We provide a broad range because off-road consumption increases significantly and varies considerably depending on the terrain, load, and driver. The 15-20 L/100km figure is... our estimate For actual use on the property. This is not official data and we do not present it as such.
Our UTVs. Here we need to be demanding of ourselves: UTVs are homologated as agricultural vehicles and that homologation does not include consumption cycleThere is no official fuel consumption figure comparable to that of a passenger car. If any manufacturer, including ourselves, presents a UTV fuel consumption figure as "certified," they are misrepresenting the facts.
Our two figures are our own: the ~6-9 L/100 km of the DX4s 800 come from observation in real use on the farm, and we give a wide range on purpose, because the irregular terrain penalizes consumption much more than any homologated cycle; the ~0,17 kWh/km of the EX4 are arithmetic on our technical data sheet —15 kWh battery, up to 100 km in RANGE mode— with margin for charging losses.
The latter does allow for external contrast: it is equivalent to about €2,5 per 100 km, very close to the 2,75 € / 100 km which MITECO publishes for domestic electric charging in its official comparison of June 17, 2026, compared to €8,56 for diesel A. Two independent calculations that arrive at the same result.
Fuel prices fluctuate, and that widens the gap.
Agricultural diesel prices are fluctuating, and quite significantly: in the last year, they've seen increases of over 30% in a single month. By the time you read this, the exact figure may be different, and the daily data for your province is available on the Geoportal.
What doesn't change is the relationship between the rows, because it depends on each vehicle's fuel consumption, not the price per liter. And if you're considering a purchase five or ten years from now, it's important to understand the implications: Each increase in diesel fuel widens the gap in favor of electric vehicles.A rise in fuel prices affects three rows of that table and leaves the fourth row untouched.
Why does the internal combustion engine lose out precisely in this use?
Electricity doesn't win in every aspect, and we're not going to deny it. It clearly wins in one specific pattern, which happens to be dominant in most farms: short, repeated journeys with frequent stops and daily return to the same point.
That profile represents the worst possible scenario for a combustion engine, and that's not just the manufacturer's opinion: it's the reason why European homologation cycles distinguish between urban and extra-urban driving. Frequent cold starts, idling during stops, and journeys that are too short to reach optimal operating temperature. Real-world fuel consumption skyrockets precisely in these situations. An electric motor consumes virtually no energy when stationary and delivers its full torque from the very first moment.
It's the same pattern we described in our Guide to electric UTVs on golf courses.
Our EX4: the lowest cost per kilometer in the table
The data from its technical specifications that explain that first row of the table:
- 15 kWh LFP battery and up to 100 km of range In RANGE mode. With 20 kilometers of daily internal travel, several days of work per charge.
- 3 kW (AC) charger. Standard electrical outlet at the warehouse at the end of the day, no special installation required. With solar self-consumption, the cost per kilometer is even lower.
- 150 Nm of maximum torque from a standstill, with a 48V AC induction motor. On a slope and under load, the instant torque is what stands out.
- No oil, filters, belts, or exhaust. Fewer wear parts, fewer workshop stops, more real availability.
- 309mm headroom, 4×2 / 4×4 with rear differential lock and steel box with 300 kg capacity and towing capacity of up to 907 kg in Low.
And one advantage that doesn't appear on any cost sheet but is crucial in livestock farming: silence. Approaching a fenced area without engine noise allows you to work among the livestock without disturbing the herd.
Watch the Terrain EX4 and its full details →
When the answer is diesel
There are also cases where electric vehicles aren't the solution. Electric vehicles cease to be the logical option if you regularly drive more than 60 or 70 kilometers daily, if you work on farms with multiple units, if you don't have a reliable charging point where you park each night, or if you need to refuel while driving during split shifts of twelve hours.
In those cases the cost argument remains intact: our Terrain DX4s 800 does it move between €0,10 and €0,14/km compared to €0,26-€0,35 for the pick-up and €0,75-€1,12 for the tractor, with a 38-liter tank and 1.449mm wide to enter through passages where a pickup truck cannot fit.
The rule: If you drive 60 kilometers a day around your property, your vehicle is diesel. If you drive 20 kilometers and the vehicle is always parked in the same shed, the electric one is practically free to run.
Calculate the cost of your operation
With three facts you already know: internal kilometers per day (counts the travel time of a normal day multiplied by the distance between points), × 300 days for your annual mileage, × the cost/km from the table of the vehicle you use today. That's your actual energy expenditure.
If the result surprises you, it won't be because the numbers are high. It will be because until now they were scattered where they weren't visible.
FAQ
Is a UTV worth it if I already have a tractor and a pickup truck?
In most farms, yes, and not as a replacement but as a way to offload tasks. The tractor should do tractor work: plowing, sowing, baling, moving heavy trailers with a power take-off; and the pickup truck should handle road work. Everything else, which usually accounts for half of the daily movements, is handled five to thirty times cheaper with a vehicle designed for that purpose. We developed this in our guide on agricultural UTV vehicles.
How long does it take to charge an electric UTV?
With the EX4's 3 kW charger and 15 kWh battery, a full charge can be achieved overnight using a standard household outlet. Under normal use, you'll rarely reach a completely empty battery.
Can an electric car withstand the cold and mud of winter?
The EX4 features 4x4 with a rear differential lock, 309 mm of ground clearance, and standard underbody protection. Cold temperatures do reduce range somewhat, as with any battery: if you regularly work in sub-zero conditions, choose a battery with extra capacity.
En Corvus We've been manufacturing these vehicles for farms and ranches for years, and the most frequent conversation we have with owners doesn't start with the model: it starts with how many kilometers they drive on their property and where they park at night. If you'd like to discuss your options, any of our official dealers can run that comparison with you before you make a decision.
