How much does the average American spend on gas per year?

About $1,500 to $2,800/year based on 13,500 miles/year, 25-28 MPG, $3-4/gallon.

How does gas cost compare to EV charging?

Gas at $3.50/gal, 28 MPG = $0.125/mile. EV at $0.17/kWh, 4 mi/kWh = $0.043/mile - about 65% cheaper.

Miles per gallon - how far a vehicle travels on one gallon. EPA combined (55% city/45% highway) is the window sticker value.

What factors affect fuel economy?

Speed (7-14% loss per 5 mph over 60), aggressive driving (15-30%), tire pressure, AC (5-25%), cold weather (15-24%), and extra weight (1-2% per 100 lbs).

How much CO2 does driving produce?

Gasoline: 8.887 kg CO2 per gallon. A 28 MPG car at 13,500 mi/yr burns 482 gallons = 4,284 kg CO2/year.

Compact: 30-38; sedan: 26-32; SUV: 22-30; pickup: 16-22; hybrid: 40-58; EV: 100-130 MPGe.

How do I calculate actual MPG?

Fill tank, drive, refill. MPG = miles driven / gallons added. Example: 320 miles, 12.5 gallons = 25.6 MPG.

How do I reduce fuel costs?

Drive 65 not 75 mph (saves 10-15%), smooth driving, proper tire pressure, remove excess weight, use cruise control, regular maintenance.

Trip · Commute · Gas vs EV · CO₂

Fuel Cost
Calculator

Q: How do I calculate fuel cost for a trip?

Fuel cost = (Distance / MPG) x Price per gallon. Example: 300 miles, 28 MPG, $3.50/gal: 300/28=10.71 gal x $3.50 = $37.50 one-way.

Calculate exactly how much any trip, commute, or annual drive costs in fuel. Compare gas vs electric. Supports MPG, L/100km, and km/L.

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Fuel Cost Calculator

Trip · Annual · Gas vs EV

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Distance

Fuel Efficiency miles per gallon

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mpg

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Annual Miles Driven

mi/yr

Gas Vehicle

mpg

$/gal

⚡ Electric Vehicle

mi/kWh

$/kWh

Fuel Economy Reference

Typical MPG by Vehicle Type

EPA combined MPG estimates for common vehicle categories (2024). Actual MPG varies by driving and conditions.

Vehicle Type	Combined MPG	L/100km	Annual Gas Cost*	Examples
Compact Car	30–38 MPG	6.2–7.8	$1,240–$1,575	Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla
Mid-size Sedan	26–32 MPG	7.4–9.0	$1,463–$1,808	Toyota Camry, Honda Accord
Small SUV	26–34 MPG	6.9–9.0	$1,463–$1,808	RAV4, CR-V, Tiguan
Mid-size SUV	20–26 MPG	9.0–11.8	$1,808–$2,352	Explorer, Grand Cherokee
Full-size Pickup	16–22 MPG	10.7–14.7	$2,121–$2,940	F-150, Ram 1500, Silverado
Minivan	20–26 MPG	9.0–11.8	$1,808–$2,352	Honda Odyssey, Pacifica
Hybrid Sedan	40–58 MPG	4.1–5.9	$909–$1,312	Toyota Prius, Honda Insight
Hybrid SUV	35–42 MPG	5.6–6.7	$1,120–$1,344	RAV4 Hybrid, Escape Hybrid
Electric Vehicle	100–130 MPGe	—	$350–$550 (electricity)	Tesla Model 3, Chevy Bolt

*Based on 13,500 miles/year at $3.50/gallon. EV based on 4 mi/kWh at $0.17/kWh.

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Average US Driver Spends ~$1,700–$2,600/Year on Gas

At $3.50/gallon, driving 13,500 miles/year in a 28 MPG vehicle costs $1,688/year. A pickup truck owner at 18 MPG pays $2,625/year — nearly $1,000 more. Switching to a hybrid can cut fuel costs by 40–50%. Use our Annual calculator to see exactly what your specific vehicle and commute costs.

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Top Fuel-Saving Tips

Speed is the #1 factor: Each 5 mph over 60 costs 7–14% more fuel. At 75 vs 65 mph, a 30 MPG car effectively drops to ~26 MPG — spending 15% more per highway mile.

Tire pressure: Tires lose ~1 PSI/month and 1 PSI per 10°F temperature drop. Under-inflated tires reduce MPG by up to 3%. Remove weight: Every 100 lbs reduces MPG by ~1–2%.

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Gas vs EV Cost Reality

At $3.50/gal, 28 MPG = $0.125/mile. At $0.17/kWh, 4 mi/kWh = $0.043/mile — 65% less per mile. Over 13,500 miles/year, an EV saves approximately $1,100–$1,600/year in fuel vs average gas car.

EV purchase prices are typically $5,000–$15,000 higher, so fuel-cost payback period is 4–10 years. Use our Gas vs EV tab for your specific situation.

How to Calculate Fuel Cost — All Formulas

Core Formulas

US (MPG): Gallons = Distance (miles) / MPG Cost = Gallons x Price per gallon Metric (L/100km): Liters = Distance (km) x L/100km / 100 Cost = Liters x Price per liter Round-trip: multiply one-way cost x 2 Example: 300 miles, 28 MPG, $3.50/gallon Gallons = 300 / 28 = 10.71 gal Cost = 10.71 x $3.50 = $37.50 one-way Round trip = $75.00

Unit Conversions

MPG to L/100km: L/100km = 235.214 / MPG L/100km to MPG: MPG = 235.214 / L/100km MPG to km/L: km/L = MPG x 0.425144 Examples: 28 MPG = 8.40 L/100km = 11.9 km/L 7 L/100km = 33.6 MPG = 14.3 km/L

CO₂ Emissions

Gasoline: 8.887 kg CO2 per gallon burned Diesel: 10.18 kg CO2 per gallon Example: 28 MPG, 13,500 mi/yr Gallons/yr = 482 CO2/yr = 482 x 8.887 = 4,284 kg = 4.3 metric tons EV: 0 tailpipe CO2 (grid: ~386 g CO2/kWh US avg)

Frequently Asked Questions

Cost = (Distance / MPG) x Price per gallon. Example: 300 miles, 28 MPG, $3.50/gal: 300/28 = 10.71 gal x $3.50 = $37.50. Round trip = $75. Enter distance, MPG, and gas price in Panel 1 above for instant results including gallons needed and cost per mile.

MPG = 235.214 / L/100km. Example: 8 L/100km = 29.4 MPG. Reverse: L/100km = 235.214 / MPG. Example: 28 MPG = 8.4 L/100km. Our calculator accepts all three unit systems — toggle between MPG, L/100km, and km/L using the buttons.

About $1,500–$2,800/year for an average driver (13,500 miles/year, 25–28 MPG, $3–$4/gal). Pickup truck owners can pay $2,500–$3,500/year. Use our Annual calculator with your commute distance and MPG to get a personalized estimate. The biggest lever: every 5 MPG improvement saves significant money at the pump.

Gas at $3.50/gal, 28 MPG = $0.125/mile. EV at $0.17/kWh, 4 mi/kWh = $0.043/mile — 65% cheaper per mile. Over 13,500 miles/year, an EV saves about $1,110/year vs average gas car. The Gas vs EV tab above lets you model your exact scenario with your local electricity and gas rates.

Miles per gallon — how far on one gallon of gas. EPA uses standardized lab tests for city and highway MPG. Combined (55% city / 45% highway) is the window sticker number. Real-world MPG is typically 10–20% lower. To measure yours: fill tank → drive → refill. MPG = miles driven / gallons added.

Speed (7–14% loss per 5 mph over 60), aggressive driving (15–30% in city), low tire pressure (up to 3% loss), A/C use (5–25%), cold weather (15–24%), and extra cargo weight (1–2% per 100 lbs). Driving 65 mph instead of 75 mph typically saves 10–15% in fuel on highway trips.

Gasoline produces 8.887 kg CO₂ per gallon burned. A 28 MPG car at 13,500 miles/year burns 482 gallons and produces 4,284 kg CO₂/year (4.3 metric tons). Diesel produces 10.18 kg/gallon. EVs have zero tailpipe emissions, though electricity grid emissions vary by state.

Compact car: 30–38; mid-size sedan: 26–32; small SUV: 26–34; mid-size SUV: 20–26; pickup: 16–22; hybrid: 40–58; EV: 100–130 MPGe. Generally 30+ MPG is good for non-hybrid. The most fuel-efficient non-hybrid vehicle category is typically compact sedans.

Fill tank completely → note odometer → drive normally → near-empty → fill again. MPG = miles driven / gallons added. Example: 320 miles, 12.5 gallons = 25.6 MPG. Repeat 2–3 times for accuracy. Your car's trip computer also shows average MPG, though the fill-up method is most accurate.

Drive 65 instead of 75 mph (saves 10–15%), smooth acceleration and braking, check tire pressure monthly, remove roof racks when not needed, use cruise control on highways, and combine short errands — cold starts use 20–30% more fuel per mile than warm-engine driving.

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Typical MPG by Vehicle Type

Average US Driver Spends ~$1,700–$2,600/Year on Gas

How to Calculate Fuel Cost — All Formulas

Core Formulas

Unit Conversions

CO₂ Emissions

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Calculators

Fuel Cost
Calculator