Fuel Savings Calculator – Estimate the Savings of Better Gas Mileage
Enter the fuel economy of two cars, the cost of fuel, and the distance driven each year to estimate the savings in fuel costs.
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Joe is the creator of Inch Calculator and has over 20 years of experience in engineering and construction. He holds several degrees and certifications.
How to Calculate Savings of Improved Fuel Efficiency
If you drive a significant number of miles in a year, then improving the fuel efficiency of your vehicle could save a good amount of money in fuel costs. One way to improve fuel efficiency is by upgrading your vehicle.
Step One: Find Driving Distance per Year
To calculate the amount of money saved with better fuel economy, start by finding the number of miles driven per year. On average, people drive 13,476 miles per year.
Step Two: Calculate Gasoline Consumed per Year
The next step is to calculate the amount of gas consumed over the year for each vehicle. To estimate the gasoline consumed, divide the driving distance per year by the miles per gallon of the vehicle.
car 1 gallons of gas = driving distance / car 1 fuel mpg
car 2 gallons of gas = driving distance / car 2 fuel mpg
Try our fuel economy conversion calculators to convert liters per 100km or kilometers per liter to miles per gallon.
Step Three: Estimate Fuel Cost of Each Vehicle
Now it’s time to estimate the cost of gasoline for each vehicle for a year. To find the gas cost, multiply the gallons consumed by the cost of gasoline.
car 1 fuel cost = car 1 gallons of gas × cost per gallon
car 2 fuel cost = car 2 gallons of gas × cost per gallon
You can also calculate the cost of gasoline using our fuel cost calculator.
Step Four: Calculate Savings
The final step is to calculate the fuel cost savings of the second vehicle. Simple subtract the fuel cost of the second vehicle from the fuel cost of the first vehicle.
fuel savings = car 1 fuel cost – car 2 fuel cost
How to Improve Fuel Efficiency
There are also many ways to improve the fuel economy without upgrading your vehicle. Try these tips to improve the fuel efficiency of your current vehicle.
Start by checking your tire inflation and inflate them to the recommended pressure. According to Consumer Reports, keeping your tires properly inflated can improve fuel efficiency. In addition, purchasing low rolling resistance tires can also improve fuel efficiency by 1 to 2 mpg. Try our tire size calculator to find a set for your vehicle.
Drive a consistent speed and avoid going too fast. The optimal fuel efficiency of a vehicle varies, but it’s usually around 50mph according to Fueleconomy.gov. Accelerating also consumes more gas, so using cruise control can help maintain a consistent speed and save fuel.
Finally, remove things that reduce the aerodynamics of the vehicle, such as a roof rack or cargo tray. These are just fine to use when you need them, but if you keep them mounted permanently then expect to see a drop in fuel efficiency of your vehicle.
To calculate the savings of upgrading to an electric vehicle, try our electric vehicle savings calculator.