How To Compute Gas Mileage [7 Simple Steps]

Many drivers are quite concerned about the gas mileage their car is obtaining because the price of gasoline fluctuates between pricey and outrageous. By following these easy steps, you can calculate the average gas mileage of your car.
Why should gas mileage be calculated?
It’s critical to calculate gas mileage. Not only to accurately represent fuel efficiency but also to identify potential issues with your automobile or truck. Contact your chosen service department if your vehicle’s fuel efficiency is significantly below what it should be.
Your car’s mpg display may be inaccurate
You must first understand what you are obtaining in order to improve your gas mileage. The majority of contemporary cars today will have a digital readout. Most likely, your dash has a display showing your mpg (miles per gallon). Ie. how far you can go on a single gallon of petrol.
Depending on the car you drive, this figure can range from 6 to 60 miles per gallon.
It’s possible that the number on your dash isn’t quite accurate.
These can also be reset, just like a trip computer. The results may potentially be skewed by incorrect numbers as a result of this or reckless driving. A vehicle’s instantaneous mpg readout is another feature that some have, and it helps drivers improve their driving techniques to get greater mileage. When you coast, it will indicate that you are getting roughly 70 mpg. How then can you be sure of what you are getting?
How to compute gas mileage: 7 steps
Step 1
Find out how much gas is in the tank of your gas-powered vehicle. The owner’s manual for your car should provide this information. For tiny, compact cars, the typical gas tank capacity is ten gallons; for large trucks or SUVs, it is forty gallons.
Step 2
Pack it full. Fill the gas tank in your car to the top. When the tank is full, the majority of gas pumps feature a device that will stop the flow of fuel. Make sure the gas gauge shows that your tank is totally full before starting your automobile.
Step 3
Take note of the reading for the number of gallons you purchased when you check the gas pump to see how much money you need to pay for your petrol. The number of gallons you purchased should be accurately recorded to the tenth of a gallon. The total gas tank capacity indicated in your owner’s handbook should be fairly close to this figure. Keep track of this sum. If the gas station where you filled up does not have this feature, you can calculate your total gas expenditure by multiplying it by the price per gallon.
Step 4
Your trip’s mileage is set. Pushing a button near the speedometer or RPM gauge will normally locate this on your dashboard and allow you to adjust it. Before you start driving, make sure to do this step as soon as you fill up your tank with fuel.
Step 5
Just like you would usually, drive your car.
Step 6
Drive your car until the fuel warning light turns on to let you know you need to fill up. Note the mileage for the route you chose when you filled up your tank at this point.
Step 7
Now let’s do some math. The total number of miles you covered on this tank of fuel is equal to the number of gallons you bought when you filled up your car’s tank. The average miles per gallon your car gets will be the solution to this issue. To be sure your calculations are accurate, watch this little video.
Collect information to determine the mpg
Calculate it the old-fashioned method. This time, calculators are permitted, and you will be the sole one marking your own response.
- Refuel your vehicle (to the pump cutoff level)
- Reset the navigation system
- Drive up until you need petrol.
- Refill the tank. (to the cutoff pump level)
- Note the miles on the journey counter and the number of gallons consumed to refuel.
- Trip reset
- Apply the formula below to your numbers to determine mpg.
- To give you a solid average, repeat this process four or five times.
How to determine your gas rate
You have already determined the number of miles (or kilometers) per gallon (or liter) your vehicle can travel. You may calculate how much it costs you to drive your automobile per distance traveled using that figure. How? Read on.
Divide the amount you typically pay per gallon at the pump by the figure you came up with when figuring out your car’s mpg. Here is the equation:
Price per gallon miles per gallon = price per mile
Again, you may compute the price per kilometer using a variant of the same equation:
Price per liter kilometers per liter = price per kilometer
You may use that price to calculate the distance of any journey you’re planning once you’ve determined how much it costs you to travel per unit of measurement. This will reveal the cost of a certain trip in your particular vehicle.
Every time you drive, being aware of these figures can help you increase your savings and fuel economy.
Conclusion
To increase their vehicle’s fuel economy, many drivers employ certain driving techniques like slower acceleration and lower speeds. You can more effectively budget your petrol costs if you are aware of your car’s typical MPG rating.