Fuel efficiency

From Nomad Life Wiki
Skoolies use a lot of fuel.

Fuel efficiency is the miles per gallon (MPG) or kilometers per liter (km/l) or liters per 100 km (l/100km) that your vehicle uses. It's also referred to as fuel economy. Fuel costs are more significant expense for nomads than for most other people.

In general, a heavier vehicle will have worse fuel efficiency than a lighter vehicle, and a high profile (tall/flat fronted) vehicle will have worse fuel efficiency than a low profile (short/sloped) vehicle. Approximate relative efficiency for different vehicle types:

Vehicle specifications for fuel efficiency

Figures listed here are estimates based on an empty vehicle. Your fuel efficiency will likely drop after you've converted your vehicle.

Ford

Ford Transit hwy 17 MPG (src)
Ford Transit Connect city 24 MPG
hwy 26 MPG
(src)

Nissan

Nissan NV200 city 24 MPG
hwy 26 MPG
combined 25 MPG
(src)

User reported fuel economy including build

These reports about converted vehicles are collected from internet comments. "Your mileage may vary."

Chevrolet

Chevrolet Express

Duramax (diesel) Rb chevy express 4x4 with 8in lift 33s and full build i get 18mpg[1]

6.0L (gas) Extended Chevy Express. Quigley 4x4, 6in lift on 33s. Full build and ladder rack. 13mpg hwy. 10mpg city.[2]

I have a nearly 2000lb build and a high top on my express van and most of the time I still get the factory rated mileage. ... typically the "bad" mileage I get is 12-13mpg and I have a AWD express van.[3]

Ford

Ford Transit

2021 Transit, Extended high-roof. Twin turbo 3.5L V-5 gasoline engine, no solar or roof rack. ... below 65mph, I get 18-20mpg (averaged 19.6 on my last cross-country drive). But any faster than that and the mileage plummets, cruise control at 75mph gets 14mpg. [4]

2020 ford transit high roof built out for full time living. I get about 15 mixed driving and 17-18 on the highway. When it had nothing in it the highest I got was 18.9 mpg[5]

Ford Transit Connect

I have a Transit Connect with a minimal build. I still get 28 MPG. I kept my build minimal in part to preserve my gas mileage.[6]

GMC

GMC Sierra 3500

2008 GMC 3500 6.0 with 4x4. I was getting close to 18 before the build. We added a top, all terrain tires, a big generator on the fabricated back bumper and an extensive professional build on the inside. We now average 11.9 but I drive like a grandma, and I limit hi way speed to 64mph. If I didn’t do those things I’d get about 9mph. I have 4x4 so it’s less than it would be with 2x4. On a very flat hi way, I can get almost 15 just hi-way miles.[7]

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

The diesel Sprinters (especially the T1N, 2003-2007) did famously get really good highway mileage. Most people I've spoken with who had them reported ~22mpg when keeping it at 65mph.[8]

Minimal build T1n, got around 22 no matter what I did.[9]

2018 MB 2500 170" RWD V6 turbo diesel fully built out; around 19-20 mpg on highway at 74mph on cruise control.[10]

I have the 2022 sprinter diesel 2500 4x4 and get about 14mpg ish on the highway depending on the wind. I don’t have an egregiously heavy build though.[11]

Yee I have the [Sprinter diesel 2500 4x4] but the Winnebago build and I get 12.5 at 70mph or about 14 at 55mph[12]

2018 sprinter 170 extended. My build is pretty heavy and I get about 16-17mpg (this includes the extra few hundred pounds when my water tank is full).[13]

Our 2019 Sprinter does 17 MPG on Diesel and it's loaded at capacity(9ton) . If you take it out of AWD it will improve its MPG's[14]

In my 2023 revel which is built on the 2022 2500 diesel 3.0L turbo I get 12.5mpg on the highway at 70-75mph on cruise control. It’s pretty awful[15]

I've got a 2023 Sprinter SO 2500 170 RWD van that is built out as a camper van and weighs around 8000 lbs fully loaded. ... I'm averaging 23.5 mpg.[16]

2019 NCV3 144” High with Solar, and a bunch of crap. 16 city, 19-21 Hwy 65mph cruise control[17]

2019 4x4 Sprinter Van Diesel w/ ~2200LB of build out. Currently getting around 18mpg.[18]

Nissan

Nissan NV3500

17mpg empty for my Nissan NV 3500. No noticeable decrease in fuel mileage with my 60% complete build. I get 10mpg while towing my 6000lb trailer.[19]

Managing fuel costs

Driving very fast or very slow will significantly reduce fuel efficiency. Most vehicles are optimized for moderate highway speeds, but some (like step vans) are geared for city driving. A vehicle that is idling is getting the worst possible fuel efficiency.

Having an overall route plan in mind can save backtracking and inefficient routes. Snowbirds tend to move in circuits in order to follow good weather. Staying in one place as long as possible reduces driving time, such as boondocking for the maximum allowed time in a National Forest.

When finding parking in the city, you may wish to park near public transit locations (possibly even a "park and ride" lot) so you can use transit to get around instead of your own vehicle. Some cities have an unlimited rides option or similar discounted pass that could make sense for you if you'll be in the area for a while.

If you have enough room to store a bike or ebike in or on your vehicle, take as many trips with that as possible.

See fuel capacity (tank size) and fuel type (gas, diesel, etc.) for additional considerations.


Resources

Resource Description
Airflow around a van Testing the way air moves around a Ram ProMaster to analyze the impact of things attached to the van such as roof racks and solar panels.
Fuel efficient teardrop trailer This Honda Insight towing a teardrop trailer gets 35 mpg.
MPG penalty for roof racks Testing the impact of a campervan roof rack or solar panels on fuel economy.
Testing MPG with vortex generators Testing change in fuel economy with the use of vortex generators for improved airflow.
EcoModder Vehicle modifications for greater fuel efficiency.
Transit mileage forum A sub-forum of the Ford Transit USA forum.
Search forums and groupsSearch van life discussion groups for "fuel efficiency"
Search related sitesSearch van life sites for "fuel efficiency"
Search other pages on this wiki for "fuel efficiency"
  1. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l66mqo8/
  2. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l6709sa/
  3. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l679nfm/
  4. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l66g1ab/
  5. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l678ico/
  6. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l64qrmv/
  7. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l66tnec/
  8. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l670opo/
  9. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l64zmsn/
  10. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l651l6j/
  11. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l65379c/
  12. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l65379c/
  13. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l6541ui/
  14. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l65jtlg/
  15. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l66a8sk/
  16. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l66urgc/
  17. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l671plg/
  18. https://old.reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l67579p/
  19. https://reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/1d3378e/what_gasdiesel_mpg_are_people_getting_after_build/l65y79i/