U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Vehicle Technologies Office

Fact #170: June 18, 2001
Fuel Economy Saves $$$

Everyone knows that driving a fuel-efficient vehicle will save gas money, but how much money does that really amount to? The graph below shows the annual fuel costs for three different gasoline cost scenarios. Assuming that the vehicle is driven 15,000 miles per year and gasoline costs $2.60 per gallon, a vehicle getting 10 miles per gallon (mpg) will cost the owner almost $4,000 in fuel annually, while a vehicle getting 40 mpg will cost the owner only $975. The graph also shows the annual fuel costs when gasoline is at $1.80 and $1.00 per gallon. With gasoline prices on the rise, the smart consumer will consider vehicle fuel economy when making a vehicle purchase.

Graph of Annual Fuel Costs Based on 15,000 Miles per Year

Supporting Information

mpg Dollars per Gallon
$2.60 $2.40 $2.20 $2.00 $1.80 $1.60 $1.40 $1.20 $1.00
70 $557 $514 $471 $429 $386 $343 $300 $257 $214
69 $565 $522 $478 $435 $391 $348 $304 $261 $217
68 $574 $529 $485 $441 $397 $353 $309 $265 $221
67 $582 $537 $493 $448 $403 $358 $313 $269 $224
66 $591 $545 $500 $455 $409 $364 $318 $273 $227
65 $600 $554 $508 $462 $415 $369 $323 $277 $231
64 $609 $563 $516 $469 $422 $375 $328 $281 $234
63 $619 $571 $524 $476 $429 $381 $333 $286 $238
62 $629 $581 $532 $484 $435 $387 $339 $290 $242
61 $639 $590 $541 $492 $443 $393 $344 $295 $246
60 $650 $600 $550 $500 $450 $400 $350 $300 $250
59 $661 $610 $559 $508 $458 $407 $356 $305 $254
58 $672 $621 $569 $517 $466 $414 $362 $310 $259
57 $684 $632 $579 $526 $474 $421 $368 $316 $263
56 $696 $643 $589 $536 $482 $429 $375 $321 $268
55 $709 $655 $600 $545 $491 $436 $382 $327 $273
54 $722 $667 $611 $556 $500 $444 $389 $333 $278
53 $736 $679 $623 $566 $509 $453 $396 $340 $283
52 $750 $692 $635 $577 $519 $462 $404 $346 $288
51 $765 $706 $647 $588 $529 $471 $412 $353 $294
50 $780 $720 $660 $600 $540 $480 $420 $360 $300
49 $796 $735 $673 $612 $551 $490 $429 $367 $306
48 $813 $750 $688 $625 $563 $500 $438 $375 $313
47 $830 $766 $702 $638 $574 $511 $447 $383 $319
46 $848 $783 $717 $652 $587 $522 $457 $391 $326
45 $867 $800 $733 $667 $600 $533 $467 $400 $333
44 $886 $818 $750 $682 $614 $545 $477 $409 $341
43 $907 $837 $767 $698 $628 $558 $488 $419 $349
42 $929 $857 $786 $714 $643 $571 $500 $429 $357
41 $951 $878 $805 $732 $659 $585 $512 $439 $366
40 $975 $900 $825 $750 $675 $600 $525 $450 $375
39 $1,000 $923 $846 $769 $692 $615 $538 $462 $385
38 $1,026 $947 $868 $789 $711 $632 $553 $474 $395
37 $1,054 $973 $892 $811 $730 $649 $568 $486 $405
36 $1,083 $1,000 $917 $833 $750 $667 $583 $500 $417
35 $1,114 $1,029 $943 $857 $771 $686 $600 $514 $429
34 $1,147 $1,059 $971 $882 $794 $706 $618 $529 $441
33 $1,182 $1,091 $1,000 $909 $818 $727 $636 $545 $455
32 $1,219 $1,125 $1,031 $938 $844 $750 $656 $563 $469
31 $1,258 $1,161 $1,065 $968 $871 $774 $677 $581 $484
30 $1,300 $1,200 $1,100 $1,000 $900 $800 $700 $600 $500
29 $1,345 $1,241 $1,138 $1,034 $931 $828 $724 $621 $517
28 $1,393 $1,286 $1,179 $1,071 $964 $857 $750 $643 $536
27 $1,444 $1,333 $1,222 $1,111 $1,000 $889 $778 $667 $556
26 $1,500 $1,385 $1,269 $1,154 $1,038 $923 $808 $692 $577
25 $1,560 $1,440 $1,320 $1,200 $1,080 $960 $840 $720 $600
24 $1,625 $1,500 $1,375 $1,250 $1,125 $1,000 $875 $750 $625
23 $1,696 $1,565 $1,435 $1,304 $1,174 $1,043 $913 $783 $652
22 $1,773 $1,636 $1,500 $1,364 $1,227 $1,091 $955 $818 $682
21 $1,857 $1,714 $1,571 $1,429 $1,286 $1,143 $1,000 $857 $714
20 $1,950 $1,800 $1,650 $1,500 $1,350 $1,200 $1,050 $900 $750
19 $2,053 $1,895 $1,737 $1,579 $1,421 $1,263 $1,105 $947 $789
18 $2,167 $2,000 $1,833 $1,667 $1,500 $1,333 $1,167 $1,000 $833
17 $2,294 $2,118 $1,941 $1,765 $1,588 $1,412 $1,235 $1,059 $882
16 $2,438 $2,250 $2,063 $1,875 $1,688 $1,500 $1,313 $1,125 $938
15 $2,600 $2,400 $2,200 $2,000 $1,800 $1,600 $1,400 $1,200 $1,000
14 $2,786 $2,571 $2,357 $2,143 $1,929 $1,714 $1,500 $1,286 $1,071
13 $3,000 $2,769 $2,538 $2,308 $2,077 $1,846 $1,615 $1,385 $1,154
12 $3,250 $3,000 $2,750 $2,500 $2,250 $2,000 $1,750 $1,500 $1,250
11 $3,545 $3,273 $3,000 $2,727 $2,455 $2,182 $1,909 $1,636 $1,364
10 $3,900 $3,600 $3,300 $3,000 $2,700 $2,400 $2,100 $1,800 $1,500

Source: U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Model Year 2001 Fuel Economy Guide, p. 3.

Return to Favorite Facts of the Week