Calculating the total cost of owning a vehicle and understanding its environmental impact involves many factors, with fuel efficiency being a critical one. Miles per gallon (MPG) is a standard measure of fuel efficiency, helping consumers compare how far a vehicle can travel on a gallon of fuel. Our Vehicle Cost Calculator is designed to help you understand these relationships by estimating the total cost of ownership and emissions for a wide range of vehicles, including those with alternative fuel and advanced technologies.
To get the most accurate results and effectively compare MPG across different vehicles, it’s important to input your driving habits into the calculator. The tool adjusts its calculations based on how you actually use your car, providing a more personalized and insightful comparison of fuel usage and overall costs.
How to Use the Vehicle Cost Calculator for MPG Comparison
The Vehicle Cost Calculator is structured to gather key information about your driving patterns to refine its MPG and cost estimations. Here’s a breakdown of the sections to help you use it effectively for MPG comparison:
Normal Daily Use
This section focuses on your typical driving routine. By detailing your daily driving habits, the calculator can more accurately determine your city and highway MPG and subsequent fuel consumption.
- Average daily driving distance: Enter the typical number of miles you drive each day. This is fundamental to calculating your overall fuel needs and understanding how MPG translates to daily expenses.
- Days per week & Weeks per year: Specify how many days a week you typically drive and the number of weeks per year you maintain this routine. This helps annualize your daily driving distance.
- Percent highway: Indicate the percentage of your daily driving that is on highways versus city streets. Highway and city driving conditions significantly impact MPG, and this input helps differentiate fuel consumption under varying conditions, allowing for a more precise MPG comparison relative to your driving context.
Based on these inputs, the calculator automatically determines:
- Annual Driving Distance: Your total estimated mileage for a year.
- City Distance & Highway Distance: Breakdown of your annual mileage into city and highway driving.
These calculated distances are crucial for the tool to estimate fuel consumption and costs based on the MPG ratings of different vehicles you might be comparing.
Other Trips
Beyond daily commuting, additional trips can also influence your overall fuel consumption and MPG.
- Annual mileage: Enter the total mileage for trips taken outside your normal daily routine. This could include vacations, weekend getaways, or any other non-daily driving.
- Percent highway: Specify the percentage of highway driving for these additional trips. Similar to daily use, highway vs. city driving affects MPG and fuel costs.
By including these details, you get a more comprehensive picture of your annual driving and a more realistic MPG comparison reflecting all types of vehicle use.
Electricity Use
For electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids, electricity consumption is as important as fuel efficiency in traditional gasoline vehicles. This section helps calculate electricity costs and emissions.
- Select a state: Choose your state of residence to factor in local electricity prices and emission rates associated with electricity generation in your area. This is essential for an accurate comparison of operating costs and environmental impact, as electricity prices and generation methods vary significantly by region.
- How often do you plug in your vehicle during normal daily use? Select the frequency with which you charge your EV or plug-in hybrid. This helps estimate electricity usage patterns, crucial for calculating overall energy costs and comparing the ‘MPG’ equivalent of electric vehicles to gasoline cars. Options include:
- Twice a day
- Daily
- Every other day
E85 Ethanol Use
For flex-fuel vehicles capable of running on E85 ethanol, this section allows you to factor in E85 usage.
- Percent E85 use: If you have a flex-fuel vehicle, indicate the percentage of time you anticipate using E85 fuel. E85 typically has a lower MPG than gasoline but can sometimes be more cost-effective or environmentally beneficial depending on local prices and conditions. This input helps refine the fuel cost calculation and provides a more nuanced MPG comparison for flex-fuel vehicles.
Biodiesel Fuel Use
Similarly, for diesel vehicles that can use biodiesel, this section allows for biodiesel blend considerations.
- Biodiesel blend: Specify the biodiesel blend available to you.
- Percent biodiesel use: Indicate how often you plan to use biodiesel. Biodiesel blends can affect vehicle emissions and fuel costs, and this input helps tailor the calculation for diesel vehicle MPG comparisons, especially for those interested in alternative fuels.
Disclaimer
It’s important to remember that the Vehicle Cost Calculator provides estimates based on the information you input and available data. Vehicle prices, specifications, and fuel efficiencies can change. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) do not endorse specific vehicle models or manufacturers through this tool. Always verify details with a dealer or manufacturer before making purchasing decisions. This tool is designed to provide comparative insights into MPG and vehicle costs to aid in your research and decision-making process.
