Road trip cost calculator for fuel, tolls and passengers

The calculator estimates energy use from distance and vehicle consumption. For a petrol or diesel car, fuel used in litres equals distance in kilometres multiplied by L/100 km and divided by 100. Multiply those litres by the price per litre to get the fuel cost. For an electric vehicle, use kWh per 100 km and price per kWh instead.

The trip total adds the energy cost, tolls and parking entered in the form. If you select a round trip, distance and energy cost are doubled; additional charges are treated as the total for the whole trip. The cost per person is the total divided equally by the number of people you enter, including the driver when applicable.

Example: a 300 km drive at 7 L/100 km uses 21 litres. At 1.80 per litre that is 37.80 in fuel before tolls and parking. Four travellers would each contribute 9.45 if they split only that total. The default values are editable examples, not live market prices.

Energy cost depends on both the vehicle’s efficiency and the price paid at the pump or charger. A vehicle that uses fewer litres per 100 km may still cost more to run if its fuel is more expensive. LPG vehicles often use more litres than on petrol, while the lower price per litre can offset that difference. Electric-car costs depend on charging location: home electricity may be cheaper than public rapid charging, and charging losses can make the amount drawn from the grid higher than the vehicle’s displayed battery use.

Use a recent price from your own bill, fuel station or charging provider for a practical comparison. The example price fields do not update automatically. If you are comparing cars, use the same route, passengers and energy prices for each calculation. You can also compare a round trip by selecting the return option, which doubles the entered one-way distance.

This estimate covers the energy needed for the distance plus the toll and parking amounts you enter. It does not include depreciation, insurance, maintenance, tyres or the value of the driver’s time. It also assumes the consumption figure you provide is representative of the planned route. High speeds, congestion, hills, cold weather, a full load and roof cargo can increase fuel use. For an electric car, cold temperatures and motorway speeds can reduce range, while public charging prices vary by provider and tariff.

Check current tolls, parking rules and charging rates with the operator before travelling. For a fair cost split, agree whether passengers share tolls and parking as well as energy. The calculator divides the entered total evenly; it does not account for different boarding points or one passenger travelling only part of the route. Use the result as a planning estimate and adjust it when your route or prices change.