Commute cost calculator
Compare what a round-trip commute costs in fuel and electricity across four powertrains. Defaults match worked figures from our hybrid vs plug-in hybrid guide. Edit every efficiency and price.
Not total ownership cost. This tool estimates energy (gas + electricity) only. It does not include purchase price, insurance, maintenance, tires, depreciation, parking, or financing.
How we calculate
- Distance — round trip × days/week × 4.345 weeks/month (52.14 ÷ 12).
- Gas / HEV — all distance on gas at that powertrain’s efficiency (L/100 km or MPG).
- PHEV — for each charged day: electric = min(round trip, usable range), remainder on gas. Uncharged days: all gas. Charge days are an input (0–commute days) — we never assume an electric share.
- BEV — all distance on electricity at kWh/100 km or kWh/100 mi.
- Full-charge assumption — each charged PHEV day starts with a full usable charge available for that commute.
- Engine caveat — a PHEV engine can still assist in cold weather, hard acceleration or cabin heat; rated electric range is a lab estimate.
- Conversions — 1 mi = 1.60934 km; 1 US gal = 3.785411784 L; mpg = 235.215 ÷ (L/100 km). Switching km↔miles converts your entered figures so energy cost stays the same when rates are unchanged.
- Canada electricity default — unweighted average of the 12 Canadian cities in the Hydro-Québec comparison (sum 196.50 ÷ 12 = 16.4 ¢/kWh), not a national household tariff or usage-weighted figure.
Electricity defaults: Hydro-Québec Apr 1, 2025 unweighted 12-city benchmark 16.4 ¢/kWh CAD (1,000 kWh/mo, excl. tax; not a national tariff); EIA Aug 2026 US residential 18.16 ¢/kWh USD. Gasoline defaults: StatCan Sep 2026 184.3 ¢/L; EIA Oct 2026 US all-grades $4.449/gal. Car figures: fueleconomy.gov / NRCan (checked Nov 6, 2026).