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  2. Green Vehicle Guide

MPG and Your Wallet (Text Only)

See: Infographic version of this information

Buying a high MPG vehicle saves you money at the pump.

"Less carbon pollution, too!"

  • Annual Fuel Cost of $2,625 at 20 MPG
  • Annual Fuel Cost of $1,050 at 50 MPG

Assumes 15,000 miles per year and $3.50 per gallon.

But what if my MPG varies?

Let's compare how much fuel two cars use over a year.

  • 20 MPG to 19 MPG (750 gallons to 789 gallons)
  • 50 MPG to 49 MPG (300 gallons to 306 gallons)

A loss of 1 MPG costs:

  • 39 gallons and $138 for the 20 MPG car
  • 6 gallons and $21 for the 50 MPG car
  • Losing 1 MPG on the 20 MPG car costs more than losing 1 MPG on the 50 MPG car.

Even a loss of 5 MPG at 50 costs you less than 1 at 20.

  • "Yep! That's 33 gallons and $117."

Small differences in calculated gallons and cost may occur due to rounding.

Though MPG varies, Higher MPG always saves fuel and carbon!!

Green Vehicle Guide

  • Learn About Green Vehicles
    • What is a Green Vehicle?
    • Consider a SmartWay Vehicle
    • EVs and Plug-In Hybrid EVs
    • EV Charging - The Basics
    • EV Charging – The Details
    • Setting up Home EV Charging
    • Tips for EV Drivers
    • EV Myths
    • EV Testing
    • Hydrogen in Transportation
  • Help Make Transportation Greener
    • Compare Your Gas Car to an EV
    • True Cost of Car Ownership
    • Buy Green / Save Green
    • We've Done Big Things. We Can Do Big Things.
    • Promoting Green Vehicles
    • Advanced Gas and Diesel Vehicles
  • Transportation & Climate Change
    • Why We Need to Decarbonize Transportation
    • How We Get There – National Blueprint for Decarbonizing Transportation
    • Next Steps / What You Can Do
  • Vehicles, Greenhouse Gases & Smog
    • Smog Vehicle Emissions
    • GHG Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle
    • Fast Facts on Transportation GHG Emissions in the US
    • Routes to a Lower GHG Transportation Future
    • Automotive Trends Report
    • 50 Years of Automotive Trends
  • Fuel Economy
    • Learn about the Fuel Economy Label
    • How MPG Affects Fuel Costs
    • Your Mileage May Vary
    • Testing at Our Lab
  • Transportation Down the Road
    • Self-Driving Vehicles
    • Shared Mobility
    • What if: Ideas for Reducing Transportation GHG
  • Find a SmartWay Vehicle
  • Sign up for E-Updates
Contact Us About the Green Vehicle Guide
Contact Us About the Green Vehicle Guide to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on May 17, 2024
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