See how driving speed affects fuel economy using real aerodynamic data
Air resistance increases with the square of speed. At 130 km/h, your car fights nearly 5 times more drag than at 60 km/h. This means small speed reductions have a big impact on how far you can drive on a tank (or a charge).
Our calculator uses the actual drag coefficient (Cd) and frontal area from our database to compute real aerodynamic losses. Not estimates, but manufacturer-published values for each specific car.
Most petrol and diesel cars achieve their best fuel economy between 80-90 km/h. EVs are most efficient at 60-80 km/h because they have no engine to lose efficiency at low RPM. Driving at 110 km/h instead of 130 km/h can improve range by 15-25% depending on the car's aerodynamics.
A car with Cd 0.23 (like the Tesla Model 3) slips through the air much more efficiently than one with Cd 0.35 (like a boxy SUV). At highway speeds, this difference translates to 20-30% more range. We track drag coefficients for all 1,041 cars in our database.
Range and fuel consumption estimates use manufacturer-published drag coefficients and frontal areas where available. Cars without published data use estimates based on body type. Real-world results vary with wind, gradient, temperature, tyre pressure, and driving style. Results are approximate guides only.
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