NZ Road Trip Fuel Planner


Fuel economy is how many litres of fuel your car uses to drive 100 km.

How to find it:

  1. Check your car’s dashboard (average consumption)
  2. Look in the owner’s manual
  3. Or calculate: (Litres used ÷ Distance driven) × 100

🚗 Ready to plan your next NZ road trip? Use the calculator above, adjust fuel price for your local station, and share your trip with friends.

Did you know

Petrol produces about 2.31 kg of CO₂ per litre, while diesel produces 2.68 kg.

NZ Fuel Cost Calculator (with CO₂ Emissions)

Planning a road trip in New Zealand? Use our free NZ Fuel Cost Calculator to work out how much your journey will cost. Whether you’re driving a car, van, or SUV, this tool helps you quickly estimate your fuel usage, petrol or diesel costs, and CO₂ emissions. Simply enter your starting point, stops, and destination, along with your vehicle’s fuel economy and today’s fuel price, and the calculator does the rest.

With Google Maps integration, you can plan multi-stop trips across NZ and see the total distance, travel time, and per-person cost. If you drive diesel, the calculator also reminds you about RUC charges that apply in New Zealand.

This tool is perfect for anyone preparing for a long road trip, budgeting for commuting costs, or just wanting to understand their car’s fuel economy. By checking your expected costs and emissions, you can plan smarter, travel cheaper, and reduce your carbon footprint.

Did you know

The average Kiwi driver spends over NZ$3,000 on fuel per year?

FAQ Section

Fuel economy is usually shown as litres per 100 km (L/100km). To calculate it yourself:

  1. Fill your tank completely and reset your trip meter.
  2. Drive normally until you refill.
  3. Note how many litres you put in and how many kilometres you drove.
  4. Use the formula: (Litres ÷ Distance) × 100 = L/100km.

Most modern cars also display fuel economy on the dashboard.

Road User Charges (RUC) apply to diesel vehicles and some other vehicles in NZ. These are extra costs per 1,000 km (currently around NZ$76 per 1,000 km). Our calculator includes a reminder for RUC if you select diesel.

The results are based on your entered fuel economy, fuel price, and route distance. If you use accurate numbers for your car and local fuel prices, the results will be very close to real-world costs.

Yes ✅. Whether you’re calculating a daily commute or planning a South Island road trip, the calculator works for any NZ driving route.

Drive smoothly (avoid heavy acceleration).

Keep tyres properly inflated.

Remove excess weight from your car.

Carpool to split costs.

Consider a more fuel-efficient or hybrid vehicle.

💡 Planning your road trip but also studying for your NZ learner licence? Try our free Road Code practice tests with 35 questions based on the official NZTA guide.