Whether you’re on a short trip to the local grocery store or a lengthier trip across the country – knowing how much fuel we have in the fuel tank gives us peace of mind on every journey.
We will be discussing fuel ranges, types of fuel power and fuel usage, the importance of regular maintenance, an electric vehicle’s fuel gauge, and more.
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What Does Fuel Range Mean On A Car?
The fuel driving range is the fuel mileage per fuel tank. This range can showcase how many miles we can travel before running out of fuel and stopping!
This can prove to be a huge headache. Firstly you may stop at an inconvenient or dangerous location, and secondly, you’ll either have to pay for roadside assistance or walk to your nearest gas station. None of these solutions are ideal, especially for those on route to work or to see a family member.
Although most cars showcase the mileage on the dashboard, all vehicles differ in MPG or miles per gallon. The exact details will be showcased in the owner’s manual.
As well as petrol and diesel car models, electric cars also showcase a car’s driving range. Yet instead of filling up with fuel, you must plug your vehicle into a port.
These ports are becoming more common; however, breaking down in the middle of nowhere because you have run out of power is an inconvenient and usually expensive problem to have to tackle.
Most vehicles boast a DIC, also known as the driver information center. This is where you will find details on the Fuel Range gauge, which is key to determining fuel usage. The main details comprise an approximate indication of how many miles you have remaining in your tank.
The same applies to an electric vehicle; only the DIC will showcase how much power (rather than gas) you have remaining and how far you can drive before you run out of gas or the fuel mileage level per tank. Every vehicle boasts its MPG, which stands for predetermined miles per gallon.
You can find more details on your car’s mileage in your car’s manual. The MPG on every vehicle is massively reliant on the gas range.
Does Range Mean Miles To Empty?
All in all, the fuel range equates to your vehicle’s gas mileage per tank refill. It gives an almost accurate indication of your vehicle’s mileage and fuel gauge and reveals how far it can travel before it requires a fuel top-up. This is known as the driving range.
For example, if your car boasts a fuel range of three hundred and ten, your gas tank will have approximately 310 miles to travel before it reaches an empty tank. Certain factors can affect this, such as sudden accelerations, being stuck in traffic, the weather, engine temperature, and how you drive. On top of this, regular car maintenance will also heighten your driving range.
With this in mind, it’s important to always fill up before empty to ensure more fuel power and avoid unnecessary breakdowns or expensive breakdown-outs.
How Is Fuel Range Calculated?
There are several ways to calculate your car’s range, and these apply to most cars. One way to calculate involves viewing the highway miles or road terrain traveled from your car’s trip odometer; alternatively, you can subtract the initial odometer reading from the current reading.
You will then need to divide the traveled miles by the sum of gallons used to refill the current fuel tank. The result will showcase your vehicle’s average miles per gallon fuel level for the driving period.
Here is a link to a reliable fuel range calculator.
How Accurate Is The Fuel Range On A Car?
The fuel range display (which sits on the dashboard meter) of a variety of car models tested revealed an average error of 2.3-percent. This car error greatly varied in other vehicles spanning from 2.8 to 6.4-percent.
This error is often due to cruise control, sudden acceleration, unexpected traffic, and the engine temperature.
Average Range Of A Gas Car
The driving range for electric vehicles or EVs differs from gas models dramatically. To put this in perspective, the average gas car can achieve around 482 km per full tank, which equates to 300 miles. This is an approximate distance and varies slightly between makes and models of vehicles.
The majority of electric car models boast a driving range or estimated distance of 200 to 490 km – this equates to 124-304 miles. This figure is based on a single charge.
If you envision making lengthy journeys, it is good to do the necessary research before buying a car.
Car With The Longest Range Per Tank 2022
To date, the car with the biggest range tank is the 2018 model from Jaguar. This is TGE XF 20d and boasts a range of 731 miles. This equates to 42 mpg on a highway, about a 17.4-gallon tank.
This rear-wheel-drive diesel car boasts exceptional fuel economy and an impressive-sized gas tank, which translates to an impressive driving range. To put this into perspective, you can travel a whopping 731 miles without refueling. That’s from the Bay Area to Los Angeles and back.
How Do You Know Your Car Range?
Most cars (both dated and contemporary) feature a dashboard meter that tallies and showcases the driving range. When selecting a car, be it electric or gasoline, it’s good to see if this dashboard feature exists and works, as it’s extremely handy to know the fuel range.
The range can differ slightly between models and is often calculated based on driving smoothly, brake application, cruise control, engine temperature, and level planes.
