Fuel Cost Calculator

About the Fuel Cost Calculator

India's fuel prices are revised daily by oil marketing companies (IOCL, BPCL, HPCL), with petrol ranging from ₹90 to ₹110 per litre depending on state taxes, and diesel typically ₹5-10 lower. For regular commuters and long-distance drivers, calculating fuel cost per kilometre makes the true cost of vehicle ownership visible - and reveals opportunities to reduce it.

The single biggest variable most drivers ignore is the gap between ARAI-claimed efficiency and real-world efficiency. ARAI figures are tested under controlled conditions that do not reflect Indian city traffic - heavy braking, idling at signals, AC usage, and high ambient temperatures. In practice, a car claiming 18 km/L ARAI might achieve 12-14 km/L in Bengaluru or Mumbai traffic. Using ARAI figures in your calculation leads to a 25-30% underestimate of actual fuel spend.

The petrol vs CNG vs EV comparison has become genuinely interesting in 2025-26. CNG at roughly ₹80-90 per kg delivers approximately 20-25 km/kg for most cars, making cost per km roughly half of petrol. EVs at current electricity rates (₹7-9/kWh average) cost approximately ₹1-2 per km versus ₹6-8 per km for petrol. The switch economics depend on your annual kilometres - high-mileage drivers (15,000+ km/year) see EV payback in 3-5 years, while low-mileage drivers may never break even on the premium.

Fuel Cost Calculation

Worked Example

Tips & Insights

• 1

  Real-world fuel efficiency in city driving is 15-25% below ARAI-claimed figures. Use the reading from your trip meter over a full tank cycle for an accurate baseline - then enter that number here instead of the ARAI claim.

• 2

  Tyre pressure at the manufacturer-recommended level (usually 32-36 PSI) improves fuel efficiency by 2-3% and extends tyre life. Check monthly or before any long trip - under-inflated tyres are the most common cause of unexplained efficiency drops.

• 3

  Air conditioning increases fuel consumption by 10-20% at city speeds. In stop-and-go traffic, consider using ventilation mode on short trips under 10 minutes where the cabin can cool through airflow rather than active cooling.

• 4

  At ₹95/L petrol and ₹7/kWh electricity, an EV consuming 15 kWh/100km costs ₹1.05/km versus ₹6.33/km for a petrol car at 15 km/L. For 15,000 km/year, that is ₹79,000 saved annually - enough to recover a significant portion of the EV premium within 3-4 years.

• 5

  Highway driving at 80-90 km/h is 20-30% more fuel-efficient than city stop-and-go traffic at the same distance. If you have a highway commute option, even one day per week of highway vs city driving reduces monthly fuel cost meaningfully.

• 6

  CNG conversions pay off in approximately 1.5-2 years for high-mileage vehicles. At ₹85/kg CNG and 22 km/kg, cost per km is ₹3.86 versus ₹6.33/km for petrol. The Rs 60,000-80,000 kit cost is recovered at roughly 30,000-35,000 km of driving.

• 7

  Use the monthly projection row to see your annual fuel spend. If that number surprises you, compare it against the annual EMI saving from not owning a second vehicle - for many urban families with good public transport access, the fuel cost analysis alone makes the second-car decision obviously uneconomical.