Vehicle Fuel Cost Comparison Calculator

By , Gas Mileage Calculators

Pick any two vehicles the EPA has rated since 1984 and see which one costs less to fuel each year, and how much the gap adds up to over the years you plan to keep it. Gas, hybrid, diesel, plug-in hybrid and electric models are all here.

Compare Two Vehicles

Choose a make, year, model and version for each side. Your fuel prices and driving go below, and the results update as you type.

Vehicle A

Vehicle B

Your Driving
Fuel Prices

Prices you need show up here once you pick your vehicles. Weekly national and regional averages are on the EIA gas and diesel update.

How to Get a Useful Answer

  1. Match the versions. The same model can differ a lot by engine and drivetrain, so pick the one you own or are looking at, not just the model name.
  2. Use your real miles. Your odometer or an old service receipt gives a better yearly figure than the 15,000-mile default.
  3. Enter local prices. Fuel and power prices vary by state and by week. Check the pump near you or your electric bill.
  4. Set the years honestly. A small yearly gap can add up over a long ownership, and a big one can matter less if you'll sell soon.

The EPA ratings are measured in a lab so every vehicle is tested the same way. Your own mileage will move with weather, speed, tire pressure and how the car is loaded, but the gap between two vehicles tends to hold up better than either number on its own.

Fuel Cost Comparison Questions

How is the yearly fuel cost worked out?

For a gas, hybrid or diesel vehicle, the miles you drive are split between city and highway, each part is divided by the matching EPA rating to get gallons, and the gallons are multiplied by your fuel price. Electric vehicles use the EPA's kilowatt-hours per 100 miles in the same way, multiplied by your electricity rate.

Why does it start at 15,000 miles a year and 55% city driving?

Those are the assumptions the EPA uses for the annual fuel cost on the window sticker, so the starting point matches the label. Change both to fit your own driving. If most of your miles are on the highway, a lower city share will usually narrow the gap between a hybrid and a regular gas car.

How are plug-in hybrids handled?

Most plug-in hybrids get a box for the share of miles you drive on battery power. It starts at the EPA's estimate for typical driving, and you can set it to 0 if you rarely charge or higher if you plug in every night. A few plug-in hybrids burn some gas even in battery mode. Those are priced on their gas-mode rating only, and the calculator tells you when that happens.

What electricity price should I use for an EV?

Use the rate on your power bill if you charge at home. If you mostly use public fast chargers, enter that price per kWh instead, since it can be well above home rates and changes the result a lot.

Does this include maintenance, insurance or the purchase price?

No. It compares fuel and electricity only. Those other costs can matter more than fuel, so treat this as one piece of the decision.

Why can't I find a hydrogen fuel cell car?

Hydrogen is sold by the kilogram rather than by the gallon or kWh, so those vehicles are left out of the calculator. Their EPA ratings still appear on the model pages.

Keep Going

Calculate your own MPGWork out your real gas mileage from a fill-up and see how it compares with the EPA rating. MPG by make and modelBrowse EPA ratings for every current model, with each engine and model year.

Where These Numbers Come From

Cedrick Reese built this calculator from the U.S. EPA fuel economy file on fueleconomy.gov, which holds 50,363 ratings from 145 makes between 1984 and 2027. The math follows the method on the EPA window sticker: city and highway ratings split 55/45 and 15,000 miles a year as the starting point, both of which you can change. Results were checked against hand-worked examples for a gas car, a hybrid, an electric car and a plug-in hybrid before the page went up. Each vehicle you pick links to its EPA record so you can check the rating. When the EPA posts an updated file, the vehicle lists are rebuilt from it, and fuel prices always come from what you enter rather than a stored average.

Sources