Compare annual fuel costs between two vehicles and see how soon a more fuel efficient car (like a hybrid) can pay for itself
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Using this calculator
This calculator is intended to help you compare the annual fuel costs between two vehicles.
Simply adjust the inputs above and then your annual savings and break even point will be automatically calculated!
- Miles driven per year is your average expected driving mileage per year. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, the average American drives around 13,500 miles every year.
- Local gas price can vary widely by city and state. GasBuddy.com is a great resource for finding the best gas price in your area. The average gas price in the USA in 2021 is around $3.00 per gallon
- Purchase price is the all-in purchase price of each of the vehicles you are comparing.
- Average gas mileage is the fuel efficiency in miles per gallon (MPG) of each vehicle. Modern hybrid vehicles typically have an average fuel econonomy of over 50 MPG, while the average gas vehicle gets about 25 MPG.
Here’s how to understand the results:
- Break even point is how long it takes for the fuel savings from the more fuel efficient vehicle to make up for the difference in price between the two vehicles. For example, if your break even point is 4 years, then after 4 years you will have “broken even” on your purchase meaning that your savings on fuel have already paid for the difference in purchase price. The lower your break even point, the better. Since the average driver keeps a new car for 6 years, you should aim to have a break even point that is less than 6 years.
- Annual gas cost for each vehicle is the yearly cost of fuel to drive each.
- Annual savings is the yearly fuel cost savings that you would experience by driving the more fuel efficient vehicle.
