Fuel Tank Range Calculator
Fuel Tank Range Calculator. Use capacity and fuel economy. Enter your values and view the result.
Fuel Tank Range Calculator
Use capacity and fuel economy.
Use the calculation engine below to model your exact costs with custom fuel prices, distances, and vehicle efficiencies:
Fuel Tank Range 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 Tank Range Calculator Works
This tool works by multiplying the fuel tank capacity by the vehicle’s fuel economy to give the distance one full tank covers.
- Step 1
Enter tank capacity
Type the capacity from the owner’s manual in US gallons, imperial gallons, or liters.
- Step 2
Enter fuel economy
Type miles per gallon (MPG) or liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km).
- Step 3
Choose the driving type
Use the highway rating for road trips and the city rating for urban driving.
- Step 4
Read the full-tank range
The calculator shows range in miles and kilometers.
Fuel Tank Range Calculator Formula
The formula multiplies tank capacity by fuel economy.
Tank Range (mi) = Tank Capacity (gal) × MPG
Tank Range (km) = Tank Capacity (L) ÷ L/100 km × 100
- Tank Capacity
- = rated fuel tank volume
- MPG, L/100 km
- = fuel economy for the driving type
Worked Example
- A midsize sedan has a 14.5-gallon (54.9 L) tank and returns 31 MPG (7.6 L/100 km) on the highway.
- Tank range = 14.5 × 31 = 449.5 miles (723 km).
- In city driving at 24 MPG, the range falls to 348 miles (560 km).
- The 101.5-mile gap shows why city drivers refuel more often.
Fuel Tank Range Calculator Conversion Table
The table lists typical tank sizes and fuel economy by vehicle type with full-tank range in miles and kilometers.
| Vehicle Type | Tank (gal / L) | MPG | Range (mi) | Range (km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact hybrid | 11.3 / 42.8 | 50 | 565 | 909 |
| Compact car | 12.4 / 46.9 | 33 | 409 | 659 |
| Midsize sedan | 14.5 / 54.9 | 31 | 450 | 723 |
| Midsize SUV | 17.7 / 67.0 | 26 | 460 | 741 |
| Full-size pickup | 26.0 / 98.4 | 20 | 520 | 837 |
| Heavy-duty diesel pickup | 36.0 / 136.3 | 17 | 612 | 985 |
What is a Fuel Tank Range Calculator?
A Fuel Tank Range Calculator is a range tool that uses tank capacity and fuel economy to show how far one full tank goes.
Full-tank range shapes road trip stops, commute refuel habits, and vehicle choice for rural drivers. Two cars with the same MPG can have ranges 100 miles apart if their tanks differ by 4 gallons. The Fuel Tank Range Calculator combines both numbers.
The result is the theoretical maximum. Plan stops at 75% to 85% of the full range to keep a fuel reserve.
What are the uses of a Fuel Tank Range Calculator?
There are 4 main uses of the Fuel Tank Range Calculator, including road trip stop planning, rural driving, and vehicle comparison.
Plan road trip stops
Set refuel stops from the full-tank range.
Plan rural driving
Check range against long gaps between stations.
Compare vehicles
Rank vehicles on range, not MPG alone.
Count weekly fill-ups
Divide weekly miles by range to count fill-ups.