How Many Miles Does A Full Tank Of Gas Last? (Answered)

The amount of miles that a tank of gas can Propel a vehicle depends on the make and model of the vehicle, the mpg, the number of gallons the tank can hold. On average, a tank of gas can hold between 18 to 25 gallons. And the average miles per gallon is 24.

How Many Miles Does A Full Tank Of Gas Last?

One of the most critical factors when purchasing a vehicle is finding a good vehicle that has good miles per gallon ratio.

There are some vehicles that have an abysmal ratio, like the gas-guzzling cars that only get 12 miles per gallon. Some vehicles have an excellent mile per gallon ratio, like the Prius which can get 55 miles to the gallon.

For context, according to an EPA study in 2019, the national average of miles per gallon for the average American car was 24 miles. As engine technology improves and as green Technology is added to newer cars, the national average of the mpg will go up.

If a gas-guzzling car gets 12 miles to the gallon and it has a 25-gallon tank, then a full tank of gas will be able to take them 300 miles. Being able to drive 300 miles before your tank needs to visit the gas station is pretty good, but 12 miles per gallon is far below the average miles per gallon for all vehicles.

The Prius has a much better performance when it comes to miles per gallon even though it has a smaller tank. The Prius only has a 10 to 11-gallon tank to hold gas. However, because of the excellent miles per gallon ratio, the driver will be able to travel 500 to 550 miles on a single gallon of gas.

Getting 40 miles per gallon is well above the national average of 24 mpg. The rise in miles per gallon is one of the main reasons why cars are adding green technology to their vehicles.

More miles per gallon will appeal to consumers, as it is one of the most important factors that a consumer considers when purchasing a new or used vehicle. Some consumers even say that it is the deciding factor that causes them to choose one vehicle over another.

There are certain vehicles on the market that have extra large tanks or even dual tanks. The types of vehicles can hold 30 to 40 gallons in a single tank or they can hold up to 50 gallons in a dual tank. These modified tanks are usually installed in SUVs, large trucks, or even diesel pickup trucks.

So while the amount of gallons that a tank of gas can hold is important, the amount of miles that a vehicle can drive per gallon is far more important.

Calculator the total miles your vehicle can travel 

As you can see in the previous section, it Is very easy to calculate the number of miles in total that your vehicle can travel on a full tank of gas.

So the next time you are shopping for a vehicle or your buddy wants to sell you his vehicle, you can quickly calculate the number of miles you can travel on a full tank of gas.

Just learn the max capacity of the gas tank and then learn the city and highway mileage of the vehicle.

The vehicles have two different miles per gallon stats, the miles per gallon that the vehicle can get while they’re driving uninhibited on the freeway, and the miles per gallon that they can get while driving around the city or town.

The city miles per gallon will be lower because the vehicle has to use gas while they stopped at a red light, make turns, drive slower and then speed up with traffic.

But when a vehicle is driving on the highway, it should get more driving miles to the gallon because the vehicle does not have to stop, turn, or idle. 

If you do not know the city and highway mileage of your vehicle, you can always look it up online. Just learn the make and model and year of the vehicle and you should be able to find it on https://www.fueleconomy.gov/ or another fuel mpg calculator site.

Commuting time

So now that you understand how important fuel economy and tank sizes are, how do these figures factor into the average American’s life?

The average American commutes 16 miles one way to work and they will sit in their vehicle for about 24 minutes. So the average round-trip work commute is 32miles.

The average car has a tank size from 12 to 18 gallons while larger Vehicles like trucks and SUVs can have 20 to 25. As stated above, the average fuel economy of a vehicle in the US is now 24 miles per gallon.

Now that we know all of these different statistics, we can do some calculations. 

If an American has a car with a 16-gallon tank and their vehicle gets 24 miles to the gallon, and they have a one-way 16-mile commute to work, Their total fuel economy of a full tank of gas is 384 miles. divide that by a 32- mile round-trip commute to work and they will be able to travel to and from work 12 times. If gas is $3.69 per 9/10 of a gallon, then it will cost $59 to fill up the tank. 

Of course, this is assuming that the average American worker doesn’t have anywhere else to do besides work. But most Americans require a car in order to go to work so it is important to know how far a full tank of gas can take the driver to and from work.

Conclusion

The number of miles a vehicle can travel on a full tank of gas depends on the make, model, year, miles per gallon, and tank size. The average tank size for a car is 12-18 while trucks and SUVs can have 20 to 25.

The average fuel economy in the US. is 24 miles per gallon. If a vehicle with 24 Mi to the gallon and they have a 16-gallon tank, then they will be able to travel 384 miles before their tank is empty. 

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  • I'm the founder of Daily Car Tips. I wrote articles in the automotive industry for more than 10 years, published in USA and Europe. I love sharing my knowledge and insights with fellow enthusiasts. Join me on this journey as we explore the exciting world of cars together!

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