HYBRID VS GAS
Hybrid vs Gas
Cost Calculator
Compare gas and hybrid fuel costs using your own driving distance, fuel price and vehicle efficiency. Add purchase prices to estimate whether fuel savings can recover a higher hybrid purchase price.
Your distance.
Your fuel price.
Your savings.
THE NUMBERS, EXPLAINED
How this hybrid vs gas calculator works
Gas fuel cost
In metric units, annual fuel use is calculated from yearly distance and litres consumed per 100 kilometres.
km per year × L/100 km ÷ 100 × price per litre
With U.S. units, annual miles are divided by U.S. MPG and multiplied by the fuel price per U.S. gallon.
Hybrid fuel savings
Both vehicles use the same annual driving distance and fuel price. Their efficiency values determine the difference in fuel consumption.
gas annual fuel cost − hybrid annual fuel cost
The result is also shown monthly and across five years assuming the inputs remain unchanged.
Purchase-price break-even
When the hybrid has a higher purchase price and lower annual fuel cost, the calculator estimates how long the fuel savings would take to recover that price premium.
hybrid price premium ÷ annual fuel savings
This is a simple fuel-savings payback estimate, not a complete vehicle ownership forecast.
At 15,000 km per year, a fuel price of $1.65/L, gas consumption of 8.5 L/100 km, and hybrid consumption of 5.0 L/100 km, the gas vehicle costs $2,103.75 per year in fuel. The hybrid costs $1,237.50 per year. That is an estimated $866.25 per year in fuel savings.
What is not included automatically?
The calculator does not automatically include financing interest, depreciation, resale value, insurance, maintenance, repairs, registration, taxes, incentives or future changes in fuel prices.
Purchase-price break-even compares only the entered purchase-price difference against estimated fuel savings. Use comparable vehicle prices and replace the example inputs with values appropriate for the vehicles you are considering.
Hybrid vs gas calculator questions
Is a hybrid always cheaper than a gas car?
No. A hybrid may use less fuel, but purchase price, annual driving distance, fuel price and vehicle efficiency all affect the result. A higher purchase price can take years to recover through fuel savings.
What does hybrid break-even mean?
Break-even estimates how long positive annual fuel savings would take to recover a higher hybrid purchase price. It does not automatically include depreciation, financing, maintenance, insurance or resale value.
Can I use MPG instead of L/100 km?
Yes. Select miles and U.S. gallons in the calculator settings. The calculator uses U.S. MPG, not imperial MPG.
What fuel price should I use?
Use a fuel price that represents what you expect to pay for both vehicles. Because the calculation assumes the same gasoline price for the gas and hybrid vehicle, differences in fuel cost come from their efficiency.
Should I compare vehicles of the same size?
For a meaningful comparison, use vehicles that are reasonably comparable in size, purpose and equipment. Comparing a small hybrid with a much larger gas vehicle can make the fuel-cost difference less useful for a purchase decision.
Use our EV vs Gas vs Hybrid Cost Calculator to compare gasoline, hybrid and electric vehicle running costs and purchase-price scenarios.