The Ship of Avila
Updated:
Save
With fuel prices skyrocketing, and the first big “exit operation” of the summer approaching, it’s a good idea to do a few numbers before starting our road trip to know how much of the budget we’re going to burn during our trips.
To carry out this exercise, we have taken as an example several types of vehicle, by segment and by mechanics, and calculated an average of 600 km traveled by road between a starting point and a summer destination. All this taking into account an average price of the different fuels, € 2,151 / l of petrol 96an average of €2,085/l for diesel Aa rate during this week of 1,035 for LPGand a mean of €0.351 per kWh.
In the case of electricity, it is difficult to make an average, since the cost will depend on the contracted rate, on whether we recharge in a vehicle at home, or if, on the contrary, we resort to a fast public recharge, in which case the rate can be shoot at the cost of reducing the time to recover 80% of the charge.
Nor have we made the estimated consumption calculations for a plug-in hybrid vehicle, since the averages offered correspond to the WLTP protocol, which is not applicable to a road and highway journey of 600 km. The approved average consumption of this type of car is usually around 1.5 l/100 km, but the WLTP measurements are carried out for 30 minutes in three phases: 589 seconds at low speed; 433 seconds at medium speed, 455 seconds at high speed, and 323 seconds at very high speed.
In the case of a vacation trip, the largest percentage of the trip will be made at medium/high speed, so the WLTP measurements would be distorted. In practice, with a plug-in hybrid vehicle, and once the battery is exhausted (around 50 km of autonomy in electric mode), the average consumption can easily rise to around 11 or 12 l/100 km, since this type of cars when they are really efficient is in urban environments. The budget to do 600 km could easily shoot up to about 137 euros (0.229 euros per kilometer). The high consumption on the highway is compensated by the high efficiency in daily journeys.
city car
With these premises, going on vacation with a gasoline hybrid urban car, with an average consumption of 5.1 l/100 km (Fiat Panda, Suzuki Ignis, Mitsubishi Space Star or similar) with about 60-90 CV of power, it will cost around 0.109 euros per kilometer. This means that with 65.4 euros we would have enough to travel the 600 km planned to our destination.
If we go up a size level because we have a compact model (Seat Ibiza, VW Polo, Renault Clio, Opel Corsa, Citroën c3, Peugeot 208 and similar), we will not notice too many differences, although having more powerful variants, As we enjoy better benefits, our pockets will also notice it. If the car is gasoline, the average consumption is around 5.1 l/100 km, so with gasoline at €2.151, we will invest 0.109 euros per kilometer.
Again the budget will be about €65.4. If our car is diesel, we will maintain the environmental label C (green) of the DGT, but the average consumption drops somewhat, to about 4.1 l/100 km. By consumption it compensates diesel, since at a price of €2.085/l, we will spend €0.085 per kilometer. In other words, with 51 euros we will have enough to cover the 600 km planned.
The accounts are better if our car is LPG, or gasoline and we have adapted it for this type of fuel (the transformation can cost us about 1,000 euros, and with it we get the ECO badge from the DGT). The price of LPG is €1,035, and with an average consumption of 3.9 kilos of gas per 100 km (this is what the 100 hp Renault Clio homologates), we get a price of 0.040 euros per kilometer. In other words, with 24.2 euros we would have covered the budget for the trip. In this case, it would be convenient to make sure that we have a service station with an LPG dispenser on the route or at the destination, since in the opposite case we would have to move with gasoline, with the corresponding consumption figures.
The electric variant in this segment consumes an average of 15.6 kWh/100 km. At a price of €0.351 per kWh, the investment in electricity would be €0.054/km, or what is the same, €32.4 for the total 600 kilometres. Although this figure is quite fictitious, because with an electric range of about 300 km, which on the road and motorway can be just over 200, it will be necessary to make a minimum of two stops to recharge. The price will then depend on the operator and the type of recharge, in addition to the time we have to invest in locating a charger that works or is not busy. Given the existing recharging infrastructures in Spain today, the trip can be a stressful and boring adventure.
5-door saloon
If we do the same exercise for a five-door sedan (such as Renault Mégane, Seat León, VW Golf, Ford Focus, Peugeot 308), in addition to enjoying a larger size and performance during the trip, spending will not skyrocket, as we will see with the calculated means. With a gasoline car, the average consumption is around 5.5 l/100 km, with the cost per kilometer being 0.118 euros. With just over 70 euros we will reach our destination 600 km away.
If our car is diesel, with a consumption of 4.6 l/100 km, the budget will be 0.096 euros per kilometer, a total of 57 euros for diesel for 600 km.
In electric, consumption is about 15.3 kWh/100 km, that is, 0.053 euros per kilometer, and a total of 31.8 euros for 600 km, if we were able to reach the destination with the initial charge made in our home, something completely impossible. Again we will rely on the availability of recharging points along the route, but it is impossible to calculate the cost of recharging.
In a family SUV
Finally, if we have one of the cars in the most fashionable segment, the SUV, these are the indicative figures that we have obtained: In a gasoline car, with an average consumption of 6.2 l/100 km, we would invest 0.133 euros per kilometer, that is, a total of 79.8 euros.
If our family Crossover is diesel, consumption is reduced to about 4.9 l/100 km, and the cost per kilometer remains at 0.102 euros. A total of 61 euros for travel from our house to our destination.
Here again the LPG models take advantage. A car like the Dacia Jogger, with 7 seats, has an average consumption of 4.4 k/100 km of LPG. Therefore, the investment in the route would be 0.044 euros per kilometer. Multiplying, we get a total of 26.4 euros to travel the 600 scheduled kilometers.
Our last exercise takes us to an electric family sedan. Although at the moment they represent a very small percentage of sales in Spain, it is convenient that we get an idea of what it can cost us to travel in a vehicle of this type, given the electric future that awaits us. A model like the KIA EV6, with 170 horsepower and a range of 394 km, homologates a consumption of 16.6 kWh/100 km. With 5.82 euros we would travel 100 km with an average domestic rate of 0.351 €/kWh. The total would therefore be just under 35 euros to travel the 600 kilometers at the beginning of our vacation.
See them
comments