Gasoline Cost & Consumption Calculator
Estimate your fuel usage and trip costs accurately.
How to Calculate Gasoline Usage for Your Next Trip
Planning a road trip or just commuting to work? Knowing how to calculate gasoline consumption is essential for budgeting and understanding your vehicle's impact on your wallet. This calculator helps you determine exactly how much fuel you will burn and how much you will spend at the pump.
The Formula for Fuel Consumption
To calculate how much gasoline you need, we use a simple mathematical relationship between distance and efficiency. Most modern vehicles report efficiency in Liters per 100 Kilometers (L/100km).
The Metric Formula:
Fuel Needed (Liters) = (Distance / 100) × Fuel Efficiency
Once you have the total liters, calculating the cost is straightforward:
Total Cost = Fuel Needed × Price per Liter
Example Calculation
Imagine you are driving from Toronto to Montreal, a distance of approximately 540 kilometers. Your car has an average fuel efficiency of 7.5 L/100km, and the current gas price is $1.60 per liter.
- Step 1: 540 km / 100 = 5.4 units of 100km.
- Step 2: 5.4 × 7.5 L = 40.5 Liters of gasoline required.
- Step 3: 40.5 L × $1.60 = $64.80 total cost.
Factors That Affect Gas Mileage
While our calculator provides a precise mathematical estimate, real-world conditions can vary. Consider these factors:
- Speed: Driving over 100 km/h (62 mph) significantly increases wind resistance and fuel consumption.
- Tire Pressure: Under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance, making your engine work harder.
- Weight: Carrying heavy cargo or extra passengers adds load to the vehicle.
- Idling: Stop-and-go city traffic is much less efficient than steady highway cruising.
Tips to Save Money on Gasoline
To reduce the numbers you see in the calculator above, try the following tips: Use cruise control on highways to maintain a steady speed, remove unnecessary roof racks when not in use to improve aerodynamics, and combine multiple small errands into one single trip to keep the engine at its optimal operating temperature.