Fuel Cost Per Mile UK 2026: Petrol, Diesel & Electric Compared
Key takeaways
- Petrol at 174.1p/litre costs about 15.8p to 26.4p per mile for cars doing 50 to 30 MPG
- Diesel at 199.1p/litre costs about 15.1p to 22.6p per mile for cars doing 60 to 40 MPG
- An electric car charged at home on a standard tariff costs about 6.6p to 8.8p per mile (4 to 3 mi/kWh)
- The formula is: (fuel price in pence × 4.546) ÷ MPG = pence per mile
- HMRC's approved mileage rate for 2026/27 is 55p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles in a car or van, and 25p after that. It covers more than fuel
Your fuel cost per mile tells you what each journey costs, helps you compare cars, and is a starting point for expense claims. This guide gives the figures at current prices, the formula to calculate your own, and tables for the most common MPG ranges.
Current UK fuel prices (14 October 2026)
The petrol and diesel figures are UK averages from Fuel Finder UK, which uses the government Fuel Finder feed. Prices fluctuate, and your local forecourt will differ. Use our fuel cost calculator to enter the price you pay.
How to calculate fuel cost per mile
The formula uses the fact that one UK gallon equals 4.546 litres:
Formula: Cost per mile (pence) = (fuel price in pence per litre × 4.546) ÷ MPG
Example (petrol, 174.1p/litre, 40 MPG):
(174.1 × 4.546) ÷ 40 = 791.5 ÷ 40 = 19.8p per mile
For an electric car, divide the price per kWh by the car's miles per kWh. For example, 26.32p ÷ 3.5 mi/kWh = 7.5p per mile.
Petrol cost per mile table
At 174.1p per litre. Use your car's real-world MPG from your own fill-ups or from owners of the same car, because official MPG figures are often more optimistic than real driving.
| MPG | Pence per mile | Cost per mile (£) | Cost per 10,000 miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 MPG (heavy SUV, older car) | 31.7p | £31.66 | £3,166 |
| 30 MPG (older petrol) | 26.4p | £26.38 | £2,638 |
| 35 MPG (typical family hatchback) | 22.6p | £22.61 | £2,261 |
| 40 MPG (efficient petrol) | 19.8p | £19.79 | £1,979 |
| 45 MPG (small petrol / mild hybrid) | 17.6p | £17.59 | £1,759 |
| 50 MPG (petrol hybrid) | 15.8p | £15.83 | £1,583 |
| 55 MPG (efficient hybrid) | 14.4p | £14.39 | £1,439 |
| 60 MPG (top hybrid / small petrol) | 13.2p | £13.19 | £1,319 |
Diesel cost per mile table
At 199.1p per litre. Diesel cars often return more miles per gallon, which partly offsets the higher price per litre.
| MPG | Pence per mile | Cost per mile (£) | Cost per 10,000 miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 MPG (older diesel) | 25.9p | £25.86 | £2,586 |
| 40 MPG (average diesel) | 22.6p | £22.63 | £2,263 |
| 45 MPG (efficient diesel) | 20.1p | £20.11 | £2,011 |
| 50 MPG (good modern diesel) | 18.1p | £18.10 | £1,810 |
| 55 MPG (very efficient diesel) | 16.5p | £16.46 | £1,646 |
| 60 MPG (top diesel) | 15.1p | £15.09 | £1,509 |
| 70 MPG (hybrid diesel) | 12.9p | £12.93 | £1,293 |
Electric car cost per mile table
Electric car efficiency is measured in miles per kWh (mi/kWh). The three price columns are the Ofgem price-cap average (home, standard tariff), an approximate off-peak EV tariff of 8.5p/kWh (varies by supplier and region), and Zapmap's September 2026 average for rapid and ultra-rapid public chargers (79p/kWh).
| Efficiency | Home (26.32p/kWh) | EV tariff (about 8.5p/kWh) | Public rapid (79p/kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 mi/kWh (large EV, cold weather) | 10.5p | 3.4p | 31.6p |
| 3.0 mi/kWh (average EV) | 8.8p | 2.8p | 26.3p |
| 3.5 mi/kWh (efficient EV) | 7.5p | 2.4p | 22.6p |
| 4.0 mi/kWh (very efficient EV) | 6.6p | 2.1p | 19.8p |
| 4.5 mi/kWh (small/light EV) | 5.8p | 1.9p | 17.6p |
Real-world vs claimed efficiency: official range and efficiency figures come from standardised tests, and real driving, especially in cold weather and at motorway speeds, is often less efficient. Use your own figures or ones from owners of the same car. Note that at rapid-charger prices an electric car can cost more per mile than a petrol car.
HMRC mileage rates for 2026/27
If you use your own vehicle for work, your employer can pay you the HMRC approved mileage allowance payment (AMAP) rates without tax or National Insurance. These rates are not purely fuel costs: they are meant to cover running the vehicle, including wear and tear and depreciation.
| Vehicle type | First 10,000 business miles | Over 10,000 business miles |
|---|---|---|
| Cars and vans | 55p per mile | 25p per mile |
| Motorcycles | 24p per mile | 24p per mile |
| Bicycles | 20p per mile | 20p per mile |
The 55p rate applies from 6 April 2026 and is higher than the 45p that applied before. There is no separate rate for an employee's own electric car: the car and van rates apply. The 10,000-mile threshold resets each tax year.
Advisory fuel rates (company cars): for fuel-only reimbursement on a company car, HMRC publishes advisory fuel rates by engine size. From 1 September 2026, petrol is 14p a mile up to 1400cc, 17p for 1401–2000cc and 27p over 2000cc. Diesel is 15p up to 1600cc, 16p for 1601–2000cc and 22p over 2000cc. For fully electric cars the rates are 7p a mile (home charging) and 15p (public charging). These change regularly, so check GOV.UK advisory fuel rates for the current figures.
Worked examples
Here are three examples calculated with the formula and today's prices. They are illustrations, so use your own car's real-world figure.
- Petrol family hatchback, 35 MPG: (174.1 × 4.546) ÷ 35 = 22.6p per mile, or about £2,261 over 10,000 miles.
- Diesel estate, 48 MPG: (199.1 × 4.546) ÷ 48 = 18.9p per mile, or about £1,886 over 10,000 miles.
- Electric car, 3.5 mi/kWh, home charging: 26.32 ÷ 3.5 = 7.5p per mile, or about £752 over 10,000 miles. Charged at a rapid public charger (79p/kWh) the same car costs 22.6p per mile.
To find your car's real-world MPG, fill the tank to the brim, reset your trip meter, and brim it again at the next fill-up. Divide the miles driven by the litres added, then multiply by 4.546.
⛽ Calculate your exact cost per mile
Enter your car's MPG (or mi/kWh for an electric car), the price you pay, and your annual mileage to get your personal figures.
Use the Fuel Cost Calculator →Frequently asked questions
What is the average fuel cost per mile in the UK in 2026?
At UK average prices on 14 October 2026 (petrol 174.1p/litre, diesel 199.1p/litre), a petrol car doing 35 MPG costs about 22.6p per mile and a diesel car doing 48 MPG about 18.9p. An electric car charged at home on a standard tariff (26.32p/kWh) costs about 7.5p per mile at 3.5 mi/kWh.
How do I calculate my fuel cost per mile?
Multiply the fuel price in pence per litre by 4.546 to get the cost of a UK gallon, then divide by your car's MPG. Cost per mile (pence) = (fuel price in pence per litre × 4.546) ÷ MPG. Our fuel cost calculator does this for you.
Is diesel cheaper per mile than petrol?
It depends on the cars. Diesel costs more per litre (199.1p against 174.1p on 14 October 2026), but diesel cars often return more miles per gallon. A diesel at 48 MPG costs about 18.9p per mile, while a petrol car at 35 MPG costs about 22.6p, but a petrol hybrid or small petrol car doing 45 MPG costs about 17.6p, which is less than that diesel.
What is the HMRC mileage rate in 2026?
For 2026/27 the approved mileage allowance payment rate for cars and vans is 55p a mile for the first 10,000 business miles in the tax year and 25p a mile after that. Motorcycles are 24p and bicycles 20p. The 55p rate applies from 6 April 2026.
Also useful
Sources
- Fuel Finder UK — UK Fuel Price Index (14 October 2026)
- Ofgem — Energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026
- Zapmap — UK EV Charging Price Index (September 2026)
- GOV.UK — Travel — mileage and fuel rates and allowances
- GOV.UK — Advisory fuel rates (from 1 September 2026)
Prakash
Prakash is the founder and editor of UK Driving Tools. He maintains the site's calculators and guides and checks the rates and rules they use against official UK sources, such as GOV.UK, the DVLA, HMRC and Transport for London, before publishing.
Pages are drafted with the help of AI tools and then checked by the editor. He isn't a lawyer, accountant or UK-qualified adviser, so every page lists its sources and states what its calculator can't tell you. Nothing on this site is legal or financial advice.
Pages on UK Driving Tools are drafted with the help of AI tools. Before publishing, the figures and rules on each page are checked against the official source named on the page, and calculator examples are tested against the working formula. Pages are updated when rates or rules change. Our Editorial Policy explains the full process, including how to report a mistake.
Spotted a mistake or an out-of-date rate? Let us know and we'll check it against the official source.