.gas-per-mile-calculator-container {
font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif;
max-width: 700px;
margin: 20px auto;
padding: 25px;
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 10px;
background-color: #f9f9f9;
box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08);
}
.gas-per-mile-calculator-container h2 {
color: #333;
text-align: center;
margin-bottom: 25px;
font-size: 1.8em;
border-bottom: 2px solid #007bff;
padding-bottom: 10px;
}
.gas-per-mile-calculator-container .input-group {
margin-bottom: 18px;
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
}
.gas-per-mile-calculator-container label {
margin-bottom: 8px;
color: #555;
font-weight: bold;
font-size: 1em;
}
.gas-per-mile-calculator-container input[type="number"] {
width: calc(100% – 20px);
padding: 12px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 6px;
font-size: 1.1em;
box-sizing: border-box;
transition: border-color 0.3s ease;
}
.gas-per-mile-calculator-container input[type="number"]:focus {
border-color: #007bff;
outline: none;
box-shadow: 0 0 5px rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.3);
}
.gas-per-mile-calculator-container button {
display: block;
width: 100%;
padding: 14px 20px;
background-color: #007bff;
color: white;
border: none;
border-radius: 6px;
font-size: 1.2em;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background-color 0.3s ease, transform 0.2s ease;
margin-top: 25px;
}
.gas-per-mile-calculator-container button:hover {
background-color: #0056b3;
transform: translateY(-2px);
}
.gas-per-mile-calculator-container .result {
margin-top: 30px;
padding: 20px;
border: 1px solid #d4edda;
background-color: #e2f0e4;
border-radius: 8px;
text-align: center;
font-size: 1.3em;
color: #155724;
font-weight: bold;
word-wrap: break-word;
}
.gas-per-mile-calculator-container .result strong {
color: #0a3622;
}
.gas-per-mile-calculator-container .error {
color: #dc3545;
font-size: 0.9em;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
}
.gas-per-mile-calculator-container p {
line-height: 1.6;
color: #444;
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.gas-per-mile-calculator-container h3 {
color: #333;
margin-top: 30px;
margin-bottom: 15px;
font-size: 1.5em;
border-bottom: 1px solid #eee;
padding-bottom: 5px;
}
.gas-per-mile-calculator-container ul {
list-style-type: disc;
margin-left: 20px;
color: #444;
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.gas-per-mile-calculator-container ul li {
margin-bottom: 8px;
}
function calculateGasPerMile() {
var distanceTraveled = parseFloat(document.getElementById("distanceTraveled").value);
var gasConsumed = parseFloat(document.getElementById("gasConsumed").value);
var costPerGallon = parseFloat(document.getElementById("costPerGallon").value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
if (isNaN(distanceTraveled) || isNaN(gasConsumed) || isNaN(costPerGallon) ||
distanceTraveled <= 0 || gasConsumed < 0 || costPerGallon < 0) {
resultDiv.className = "result error";
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter valid, positive numbers for all fields. Distance traveled must be greater than zero.";
return;
}
var totalGasCost = gasConsumed * costPerGallon;
var costPerMile = totalGasCost / distanceTraveled;
resultDiv.className = "result";
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Your estimated Cost Per Mile: $" + costPerMile.toFixed(2) + "";
}
Gas Per Mile Calculator
Enter values and click 'Calculate' to see your cost per mile.
Understanding Your Gas Per Mile
The "Gas Per Mile Calculator" helps you determine the actual cost of fuel for every mile you drive. This metric is crucial for budgeting, understanding your vehicle's efficiency, and making informed decisions about your driving habits and vehicle maintenance. Unlike miles per gallon (MPG), which focuses solely on fuel efficiency, cost per mile directly translates your fuel consumption into a monetary value, giving you a clearer picture of your transportation expenses.
How to Calculate Gas Per Mile
Calculating your gas per mile involves three key pieces of information:
- Total Distance Traveled: The total number of miles you've driven since your last fill-up or over a specific period.
- Total Gas Consumed: The total amount of fuel (in gallons) you've put into your tank to cover that distance.
- Cost Per Gallon: The price you paid for each gallon of gas.
The formula is straightforward:
Cost Per Mile = (Total Gas Consumed × Cost Per Gallon) ÷ Total Distance Traveled
Why is Cost Per Mile Important?
- Budgeting: It provides a clear financial figure for your driving expenses, helping you allocate funds more effectively.
- Vehicle Efficiency Comparison: You can compare the true cost efficiency of different vehicles, not just their MPG ratings.
- Driving Habits Impact: A higher cost per mile might indicate aggressive driving, which you can then adjust to save money.
- Maintenance Indicator: A sudden increase in cost per mile for the same driving conditions could signal a need for vehicle maintenance.
- Trip Planning: Helps estimate fuel costs for upcoming road trips or daily commutes.
Factors Affecting Your Gas Per Mile
Several factors can influence how much you spend on gas per mile:
- Vehicle Type: Larger, heavier vehicles or those with powerful engines generally consume more fuel.
- Driving Habits: Aggressive acceleration, hard braking, and speeding significantly reduce fuel efficiency. Smooth, consistent driving is key.
- Tire Pressure: Under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance, forcing your engine to work harder and consume more fuel.
- Vehicle Maintenance: Regular tune-ups, oil changes, and air filter replacements ensure your engine runs efficiently.
- Road Conditions: Stop-and-go city traffic, hilly terrain, and adverse weather conditions can all decrease fuel economy.
- Load Weight: Carrying excessive weight in your vehicle reduces efficiency.
- Aerodynamics: Roof racks, open windows at high speeds, and other external additions can increase drag.
Tips to Improve Your Gas Per Mile
Reducing your cost per mile can lead to significant savings over time. Consider these tips:
- Drive Smoothly: Avoid rapid acceleration and sudden braking. Anticipate traffic and coast when possible.
- Maintain Proper Tire Pressure: Check your tire pressure regularly and inflate to the manufacturer's recommended levels.
- Regular Vehicle Maintenance: Keep up with oil changes, air filter replacements, and engine tune-ups.
- Reduce Idling: If you're going to be stopped for more than 30 seconds, it's often more fuel-efficient to turn off your engine.
- Lighten Your Load: Remove unnecessary items from your trunk or back seat.
- Use Cruise Control: On highways, cruise control helps maintain a consistent speed, which is more fuel-efficient.
- Plan Your Routes: Combine errands into one trip and avoid peak traffic times to minimize stop-and-go driving.
- Consider Aerodynamics: Remove roof racks when not in use and keep windows closed at higher speeds.
Example Calculation:
Let's say you drove 300 miles, consumed 10 gallons of gas, and the gas cost $3.50 per gallon.
Total Gas Cost = 10 gallons × $3.50/gallon = $35.00
Cost Per Mile = $35.00 ÷ 300 miles = $0.1167 per mile
In this scenario, your cost per mile would be approximately $0.12. Using this calculator, you can quickly determine this value for your own driving.