Fuel Economy Scenario Calculator
Fuel Economy Scenario Calculator. Compare costs across efficiency values. Enter your values and view the result.
Fuel Economy Scenario Calculator
Compare costs across efficiency values.
Use the calculation engine below to model your exact costs with custom fuel prices, distances, and vehicle efficiencies:
Fuel Economy Scenario Calculator: inputs
Adjust sliders or enter exact figures
Monthly Fuel Budget
Real-Time Visual Breakdown
Comparing your expense against alternative vehicle classes
Price Fluctuation Stress Test
See how unexpected gas price surges would impact your monthly budget
How Fuel Economy Scenario Calculator Works
This tool works by holding distance and price fixed and pricing the same driving at several fuel economy values.
- Step 1
Enter distance and price
Type monthly or yearly miles or kilometers and the fuel price.
- Step 2
Select efficiency scenarios
Pick MPG or L/100 km values, such as your current car and 2 replacement options.
- Step 3
Pick a baseline
Choose one value as the reference, such as your current vehicle.
- Step 4
Compare savings
The calculator shows the cost of each scenario and the saving against the baseline.
Fuel Economy Scenario Calculator Formula
The formula divides one fixed distance by each MPG value and prices the fuel.
Scenario Cost = (Distance ÷ Scenario MPG) × Price
Saving vs Baseline = Baseline Cost − Scenario Cost
- Scenario MPG
- = one of the fuel economy values tested
- Baseline Cost
- = cost at the reference fuel economy
Worked Example
- A household drives 1,200 miles (1,931 km) per month at $3.50 per gallon. The current car returns 20 MPG.
- At 20 MPG: 60 gal = $210.00.
- At 30 MPG: 40 gal = $140.00. At 40 MPG: 30 gal = $105.00.
- Moving from 20 to 30 MPG saves $70 per month; moving from 30 to 40 MPG saves $35 more.
Fuel Economy Scenario Calculator Conversion Table
The table prices 1,200 miles per month at $3.50 per gallon across fuel economy values, with savings against a 20 MPG baseline.
| MPG | L/100 km | Gallons / Month | Monthly Cost | Saving / Month vs 20 MPG | Saving / Year vs 20 MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 15.7 | 80.0 | $280.00 | -$70.00 | -$840.00 |
| 20 | 11.8 | 60.0 | $210.00 | +$0.00 | +$0.00 |
| 25 | 9.4 | 48.0 | $168.00 | +$42.00 | +$504.00 |
| 30 | 7.8 | 40.0 | $140.00 | +$70.00 | +$840.00 |
| 35 | 6.7 | 34.3 | $120.00 | +$90.00 | +$1,080.00 |
| 40 | 5.9 | 30.0 | $105.00 | +$105.00 | +$1,260.00 |
| 50 | 4.7 | 24.0 | $84.00 | +$126.00 | +$1,512.00 |
| 60 | 3.9 | 20.0 | $70.00 | +$140.00 | +$1,680.00 |
What is a Fuel Economy Scenario Calculator?
A Fuel Economy Scenario Calculator is a comparison tool that prices the same driving at several fuel efficiency values.
Fuel economy is the vehicle setting that drives long-term cost. The Fuel Economy Scenario Calculator shows how each MPG step changes spending. The savings shrink as MPG rises: the first 10 MPG gain saves twice as much as the next 10.
Car shoppers, fleet managers, and drivers testing eco-driving habits use the tool to put a dollar value on each MPG target.
What are the uses of a Fuel Economy Scenario Calculator?
There are 4 main uses of the Fuel Economy Scenario Calculator, including car shopping, eco-driving goals, and fleet targets.
Shop for a car
Compare the monthly cost of 3 to 5 candidate MPG ratings.
Set eco-driving goals
Value a 2 or 3 MPG gain from smoother driving.
Set fleet MPG targets
Price fleet-wide efficiency goals.
Explain the MPG curve
Show why low-MPG upgrades save the most.