Fuel Savings Calculator

How to Calculate Fuel Savings

Calculating fuel savings is an essential step in comparing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of different vehicles. This calculation takes into account factors such as fuel economy, fuel cost, and annual driving distance.

What is the Formula?

The primary formulas used in fuel savings calculations are:

\[ Annual Fuel Cost = \frac{Driving Distance}{Fuel Economy} \times Fuel Cost per Gallon \]

\[ Annual Savings = Annual Fuel Cost (Car 1) - Annual Fuel Cost (Car 2) \]

Where:

• Driving Distance is in miles per year
• Fuel Economy is in miles per gallon (mpg)
• Fuel Cost is in dollars per gallon

What are the calculation steps?

1. Determine the fuel economy (mpg) for each vehicle.
2. Identify the annual driving distance in miles.
3. Determine the current fuel cost per gallon.
4. Calculate the annual fuel cost for each vehicle using the formula above.
5. Calculate the difference between the two annual fuel costs to find the annual savings.
6. Divide the annual savings by 12 to get the monthly savings.

Example Calculation

Let's calculate the fuel savings between two cars with the following parameters:

• Car 1 Fuel Economy: 25 mpg
• Car 2 Fuel Economy: 35 mpg
• Annual Driving Distance: 13,000 miles
• Fuel Cost: $2.85 per gallon

Step 1: Calculate Annual Fuel Cost for Car 1

\[ Annual Fuel Cost (Car 1) = \frac{13,000 miles}{25 mpg} \times $2.85/gallon = $1,482 \]

Step 2: Calculate Annual Fuel Cost for Car 2

\[ Annual Fuel Cost (Car 2) = \frac{13,000 miles}{35 mpg} \times $2.85/gallon = $1,058.57 \]

Step 3: Calculate Annual Savings

\[ Annual Savings = $1,482 - $1,058.57 = $423.43 \]

Step 4: Calculate Monthly Savings

\[ Monthly Savings = $423.43 / 12 = $35.29 \]

Therefore, by choosing Car 2 over Car 1, you could save approximately $423.43 per year or $35.29 per month on fuel costs.

Diagram of Fuel Savings Calculation

The following diagram illustrates the concept of fuel savings calculation:

This diagram shows the annual fuel costs for Car 1 and Car 2, with the height of each bar representing the cost. The difference in height illustrates the potential savings by choosing the more fuel-efficient vehicle.