Fuel Savings Calculator
Calculate how much you save annually by switching to a higher-MPG vehicle.
This tool is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional financial, medical, legal, or engineering advice. See Terms of Service.
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Thinking about buying a more fuel-efficient car, hybrid, or EV? This calculator shows exactly how much less you will spend on gas each year and helps you figure out how long the fuel savings take to offset the higher purchase price.
- Enter your annual miles. The average American drives about 13,500 miles per year. Check your odometer change from last year for accuracy.
- Enter your current vehicle's MPG. Use your actual MPG from your trip computer or calculate it with the MPG Calculator.
- Enter the new vehicle's MPG. Use the EPA combined estimate for a fair comparison. For hybrids, use the combined rating. For plug-in hybrids that you will charge regularly, use the blended MPGe if you mostly drive in electric mode.
- Enter the gas price. Use a price that is realistic for the next several years. Many analysts use $3.00-$4.00 as a planning assumption.
Divide the price premium of the new car by the annual savings to get the payback period in years.
About the Fuel Savings Calculator
Annual savings equals annual miles times (1/mpg1 minus 1/mpg2) times fuel price. This is the direct formula that computes gallons per mile for each vehicle, finds the difference, and multiplies by miles and price. Going from 22 MPG to 35 MPG at 15,000 miles/year and $3.40/gas saves $901 annually, or $75/month. If the more efficient car costs $4,000 more, the fuel savings pay it back in about 4.4 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many years does it take for a hybrid to pay for itself?
Payback period equals the price premium divided by annual fuel savings. A hybrid that costs $3,000 more than a comparable non-hybrid and saves $900 per year in fuel pays back in 3.3 years. At 15,000 miles/year with $3.50 gas, most hybrids with a $2,000-$4,000 premium over comparably equipped non-hybrids pay back in 2-5 years, then save money for the rest of ownership.
Is the fuel savings worth it if I do not drive many miles?
For low-mileage drivers under 8,000 miles per year, a significant fuel-economy premium may take 10+ years to recover. At that point, the vehicle might be near end of useful life. Lower-mileage drivers should prioritize a low purchase price over maximum fuel efficiency unless the efficiency gain is very large (like switching to an EV where electricity is significantly cheaper per mile than gasoline).
Does this include the cost of EV charging vs gas?
This calculator compares two gasoline vehicles by MPG. For EV vs gas comparison, use the EV Charging Cost Calculator to find cost per mile for the EV, then compare that to the gas car's cost per mile from this calculator. Most EVs cost $0.03-$0.06 per mile to charge at home electricity rates, versus $0.10-$0.16 per mile for a 25-35 MPG gas vehicle at $3.50/gallon.
What is the most fuel-efficient way to drive?
The biggest gains come from: driving at 55-65 mph (aerodynamic drag rises with the square of speed), smooth acceleration and coasting to stops, minimal use of air conditioning, keeping tires at correct pressure, avoiding excessive idling, and removing cargo racks when not in use. Hypermiling techniques like pulse-and-glide and engine-off coasting can push MPG 20-40% above EPA ratings in ideal conditions.