U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Vehicle Technologies Office
Fact #501: January 14, 2008
Fuel Economy and Annual Fuel Cost Ranges for Vehicle Classes
The graph below shows the range of the lowest and highest fuel economy for each vehicle class, along with the lowest and highest annual fuel cost (in parentheses). For example, the two-seater model with the lowest fuel economy gets 10 miles per gallon (MPG) with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,500, while the two-seater model with the highest fuel economy gets 25 MPG with an estimated annual fuel cost of $1,800.
The Midsize class has the greatest range in fuel economy, followed by compact cars, subcompact cars and SUVs. These four vehicle classes all contain hybrid models which greatly extend the range of their respective classes. Consumers interested in purchasing a vehicle in one of these vehicle classes have a great deal of choice in terms of fuel economy, while consumers interested in vans have little or no choice concerning fuel efficiency in the 2008 model year.
Fuel Economy and Annual Fuel Cost Ranges for Vehicle Classes, 2008 model year 
Supporting Information
Fuel Economy and Annual Fuel Cost Ranges for Vehicle Classes, 2008 model year
| Vehicle Class |
Lowest MPG in the Vehicle Class |
Highest MPG in the Vehicle Class |
Lowest Annual Fuel Cost in the Vehicle Class |
Highest Annual Fuel Cost in the Vehicle Class |
| Two-Seater Cars |
10 |
25 |
$4,500 |
$1,800 |
| Minicompact Cars |
12 |
26 |
$3,748 |
$1,732 |
| Subcompact Cars |
12 |
32 |
$3,748 |
$1,310 |
| Compact Cars |
11 |
42 |
$4,090 |
$1,000 |
| Midsize Card |
11 |
46 |
$4,090 |
$911 |
| Large Cars |
11 |
25 |
$4,090 |
$1,680 |
| Small Station Wagons |
15 |
31 |
$3,002 |
$1,357 |
| Midsize Station Wagons |
14 |
24 |
$3,213 |
$1,867 |
| Minivans |
18 |
19 |
$2,367 |
$2,209 |
| Passenger Vans |
14 |
14 |
$2,999 |
$2,999 |
| Cargo Vans |
14 |
17 |
$2,999 |
$2,470 |
| Sport Utility Vehicles |
12 |
32 |
$3,748 |
$1,310 |
| Small Pickup Trucks |
15 |
23 |
$2,801 |
$1,827 |
| Standard Pickup Trucks |
13 |
18 |
$3,460 |
$2,335 |
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Note:
Combined city and highway MPG estimates are used; these assume you will drive 55% in the city and 45% on the highway. Annual fuel costs assume you travel 15,000 miles each year and fuel costs $2.80/gallon for regular unleaded gasoline and $3.00/gallon for premium. Visit www.fueleconomy.gov to calculate annual fuel cost for a specific vehicle based on your own driving conditions and per-gallon fuel costs.
Source:
U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2008 Fuel Economy Guide. |
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