How Much Does It Cost to Drive Per Mile in the UK?
At current UK petrol prices and an average of 40 MPG, fuel costs approximately 8.5–11p per mile depending on your car. Diesel costs around 9–11p per mile. Electric cars on home charging cost as little as 2–7p per mile — or up to 21p per mile on public rapid chargers. Use our calculator for the exact figure based on today's live pump price and your specific car.
Quick answer: Petrol costs approximately 8.5-12p per mile. Diesel 9-11p per mile. Electric (home charging) 2-7p per mile. Electric (rapid charging) up to 21p per mile.
Fuel cost per mile by vehicle type — May 2026
| Vehicle type | Real-world MPG / efficiency | Fuel cost per mile | Annual fuel cost (12,000 miles) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⚡ EV — Octopus Go (7p/kWh) | 3.5 miles/kWh | ~2p | ~£240 |
| ⚡ EV — home charging (24p/kWh) | 3.5 miles/kWh | ~6.9p | ~£828 |
| 🚗 Petrol — very efficient (50 MPG) | 50 MPG | ~7.9p | ~£948 |
| 🚗 Petrol — efficient (45 MPG) | 45 MPG | ~8.7p | ~£1,044 |
| 🛢️ Diesel — very efficient (60 MPG) | 60 MPG | ~7.9p | ~£948 |
| 🛢️ Diesel — efficient (50 MPG) | 50 MPG | ~9.4p | ~£1,128 |
| 🚗 Petrol — average (38 MPG) | 38 MPG | ~10.3p | ~£1,236 |
| 🛢️ Diesel — average (45 MPG) | 45 MPG | ~10.5p | ~£1,260 |
| 🚗 Petrol — poor (28 MPG SUV) | 28 MPG | ~14p | ~£1,680 |
| ⚡ EV — public charging (50p/kWh) | 3.5 miles/kWh | ~14.3p | ~£1,716 |
| ⚡ EV — rapid charging (75p/kWh) | 3.5 miles/kWh | ~21.4p | ~£2,568 |
Based on 156.8p/litre petrol, 188.8p/litre diesel. May 2026 UK averages.
How to calculate your own cost per mile
For petrol or diesel:
The formula is: (100 ÷ MPG × fuel price in pence) ÷ 4.546
Example: 40 MPG car, petrol at 156.8p/litre → (100 ÷ 40 × 156.8) ÷ 4.546 = 8.6p per mile
Or simply use our calculator — enter your journey, car, and speed and we calculate it automatically for any route.
For electric cars:
The formula is: electricity price in pence ÷ miles per kWh
Example: 3.5 miles/kWh, home charging at 24p/kWh → 24 ÷ 3.5 = 6.9p per mile
Cost per mile for popular UK cars — 2026
| Car | Real-world MPG | Fuel type | Cost per mile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Yaris Hybrid | ~55 MPG | Petrol hybrid | ~7.1p |
| Ford Puma Hybrid | ~48 MPG | Petrol mild hybrid | ~8.2p |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI | ~40 MPG | Petrol | ~9.8p |
| Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost | ~42 MPG | Petrol | ~9.3p |
| Vauxhall Astra 1.2 Turbo | ~38 MPG | Petrol | ~10.3p |
| BMW 3 Series 320d | ~48 MPG | Diesel | ~9.8p |
| Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI | ~52 MPG | Diesel | ~9.1p |
| Tesla Model 3 RWD | ~3.8 miles/kWh | Electric (home) | ~6.3p |
| Nissan Leaf 40kWh | ~3.4 miles/kWh | Electric (home) | ~7.1p |
| Range Rover Sport P400 | ~22 MPG | Petrol | ~17.8p |
The true cost per mile — beyond fuel
Fuel is the most variable cost but not the only one. The RAC estimates total car ownership costs per mile for a typical family car at around 40-60p per mile when you include:
| Cost category | Typical pence per mile |
|---|---|
| Fuel / energy | 8-14p |
| Depreciation | 10-20p |
| Insurance | 5-10p |
| Servicing & tyres | 3-6p |
| Road tax (VED) | 1-3p |
| Finance costs | 5-15p |
| Total | 32-68p per mile |
Fuel typically represents only 15-30% of the total cost of running a car. Depreciation is usually the biggest single cost for most drivers.
HMRC mileage rate: For business mileage claims, HMRC allows 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles and 25p per mile after that. This is designed to cover all running costs including fuel, depreciation, and insurance.