ID Buzz vs petrol van: which to choose for your Mallorca trip
We rent an electric vehicle, but we won't pretend it is always the right choice. Here is the honest comparison we also make over the phone.
Four criteria: range and charging, cost per kilometre, driving experience and sustainability — applied to Mallorca, not to a drive across half a continent.
Range and charging: a point for petrol, almost
A petrol van refuels in five minutes and carries on. That remains a clear advantage if you cover very high mileage every day.
In Mallorca that is rarely the case: a full day of sightseeing barely passes 150 km. Palma–Mondragó is around 60, Palma–Sóller around 35, Palma–Alcúdia around 55. One charge a day is enough, and you charge during breaks you were taking anyway.
If you use the island as a base and park at the same place every evening, charging becomes almost invisible — especially with a charger at the hotel or agrotourism estate.
Cost per kilometre
Electric wins clearly here. Electricity for the same distance costs noticeably less in Mallorca than petrol, and some municipal car parks and shops charge cheaply or for free.
Over a week of 700 km the difference is not dramatic, but it is real — and with a large seven-seat van it grows, because a petrol van of that size drinks considerably more.
Driving experience on Mallorcan roads
On the Ma-10 through the Serra de Tramuntana the difference is largest: no gear changes, instant response and a noticeably calmer ride for everyone in the back. Going downhill you recover energy instead of wearing out brakes.
Staying honest: a large vehicle is a large vehicle on the narrow roads of the interior and the north coast, electric or not. Drive slowly and choose generous car parks.
Sustainability and verdict
On an island with limited space and heavy summer tourism, electric means no local emissions and no engine noise at coves and in villages. For many guests that has become an argument, not just a detail.
Our verdict: for a holiday in Mallorca based on the island, the electric van wins on cost, comfort and experience. If you drive 300 km a day and can never stop for twenty minutes, petrol suits you better.