Fuel cost calculator
Get gallons, price per mile and cost per person from your own numbers.
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How many gallons will the trip need?
Plan your fuel consumption and an approximate number of refuels.
Calculate gallons and stops
FREE · NO ACCOUNTDefault numbers are illustrative, not live prices. Confirm local fuel and electricity rates before planning.
Gallons and driving range
Divide miles by MPG to estimate gallons. A tank with 12 usable gallons at 25 MPG gives a theoretical 300-mile range. Real range varies, and you should keep a reserve.
What stops means here
Theoretical fuel stops are a planning approximation based on starting full and using the available capacity. This is not a service-station routing system and does not guarantee the location of a station.
Worked example: Chicago to Nashville in a pickup truck
Google Maps routing (RoadCost route lookup, November 13, 2026) puts the drive from Chicago, IL to Nashville, TN at 470.9 miles, roughly 7 h 11 min behind the wheel. The vehicle is a 2026 Ford F-150 Pickup 2WD (2.7L turbo). Its EPA ratings on fueleconomy.gov are 19 MPG city, 25 MPG highway and 21 MPG combined.
Gallons needed = miles ÷ MPG. Most of this trip is interstate, so start with the highway figure: 470.9 ÷ 25 = 18.84 gallons. If you expect city traffic at both ends and use the combined rating instead, it becomes 470.9 ÷ 21 = 22.42 gallons, about 3.6 gallons more. Both Illinois and Tennessee are in the EIA's Midwest region (PADD 2), where regular gasoline averaged $3.868 per gallon in the week of November 9, 2026. That puts the fuel at 18.84 × $3.868 = $72.87 on the highway rating, or $86.72 on the combined one.
To turn gallons into fuel stops, divide by the usable capacity of your own tank, which you will find in the owner's manual. Do not rely on the rating alone: EPA figures come from standardized tests, and fueleconomy.gov notes that driving style, vehicle condition, fuel and weather can change real MPG significantly.
| Route (Google Maps miles) | F-150 2.7L, 25 MPG | Accord 1.5T, 37 MPG | RAV4 hybrid, 39 MPG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles → Las Vegas (269.9 mi) | 10.8 | 7.3 | 6.9 |
| Chicago → Nashville (470.9 mi) | 18.8 | 12.7 | 12.1 |
| Denver → Salt Lake City (518.9 mi) | 20.8 | 14.0 | 13.3 |
The same Chicago to Nashville drive needs about 6.8 fewer gallons in the hybrid than in the truck. To see what that difference is worth in dollars on every mile, use the gas cost per mile calculator, or put the three vehicles side by side with Compare cars. Planning to drive home the same way? Double the gallons, or let the round trip calculator do it.
Frequently asked questions
How many gallons for 500 miles at 25 MPG?
20 gallons, calculated as 500 ÷ 25.
Will I definitely need the displayed number of stops?
No. Road conditions and reserve preferences can change the answer.
How many gallons of gas does it take to drive from Chicago to Nashville?
About 18.8 gallons one way in a 2026 Ford F-150 2WD with the 2.7L engine at its 25 MPG highway rating, for 470.9 miles. A car rated 37 MPG highway would need about 12.7 gallons.
Should I use city, highway or combined MPG to estimate gallons?
Use highway MPG for long interstate stretches and combined MPG if the trip includes a lot of town driving. On the Chicago to Nashville example the choice changes the answer from 18.8 to 22.4 gallons.
How many gallons does a hybrid SUV use on a 500-mile trip?
About 12.8 gallons at the 2026 Toyota RAV4 AWD SE/LE hybrid's 39 MPG highway rating: 500 ÷ 39. Its city rating is higher still, at 46 MPG.
How do I know how many times I will have to refuel?
Divide the gallons the trip needs by the usable gallons in your tank, then keep a reserve. Usable tank size is in your owner's manual; it is not part of the EPA MPG listing used here.
Why did my car use more gas than the estimate?
EPA ratings come from standardized lab tests. Fueleconomy.gov lists how and where you drive, vehicle condition, fuel variations and weather as factors that can lower real-world MPG, so treat the estimate as a planning baseline.
Keep exploring
What does one mile cost in gas?
Turn miles per gallon into dollars per mile, then multiply by the distance you drive.
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