AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
By John O'Dell September 26, 2011
We looked at full-size van fuel costs this week, and for flex-fuel models also ran the numbers on filling the tanks with E85 (85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline). There’s a pretty big range between the “best” model in the segment, the 4.3-liter V8 Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana Cargo (above), and the worst -- their beefed-up big brothers, the Express and Savana 3500s. In fact, after we 
looked at full-size van fuel costs this week, we ran a separate check on the passenger fleet’s most expensive vehicles to fuel (left) and found that big vans are well-represented in the group.
At last week's national average gas price, the small V8 models ran up a pump tab of $261 for a month’s worth (1,250 miles) of travel. At the other end of the scale, a month’s worth of fuel for the 6.0-liter flex-fuel 3500 models cost $372 at the gas pump and a staggering $441 at the E85 dispenser. E85 costs more because, while usually a bit cheaper per gallon, it is less energy-dense than gasoline so it takes about 25 percent more of it to go the same distance.
For this chart we calculated gas costs at $3.58 a gallon (all models use regular unleaded) and E85 at $3.20 a gallon. The chart for this segment – unlike those posted in past weeks – contains all of the segment members. That’s because it’s a small group. The only manufacturers are General Motors (Chevrolet and GMC) and Ford. Although they are still seen on the road, Dodge quit making its full-size Ram van more than a decade ago. We don’t include the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter or the big 6.6 liter diesel versions of the Chevy and GMC 3500 vans because their fuel economy isn’t rated by the EPA.
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Previous Best/Worst Monthly Fuel Cost Charts
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Luxury SUVs
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Sports Cars
Luxury Cars
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Compact SUVs
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Disclaimers
This series of charts ranks the best and worst monthly fuel costs among the cars, trucks and crossovers in the vehicle segments tracked at Edmunds. It is not designed to stigmatize but simply to provide fuel economy information. The numbers were developed using a common set of assumptions and national averages for fuel pricing and vehicle fuel economy. It assumes monthly travel of 1,250 miles using the cars' EPA combined city-highway fuel economy ratings and the national average price of the manufacturers' recommended grades of gasoline or other fuel.
Individual results will differ based on variances in things like driving styles, fuel sources, climate, terrain, vehicle load and options on the vehicle. With comparisons to earlier charts, keep in mind that fuel prices have been in flux all year so the costs listed in previous weeks would need to be adjusted for a fair head-to-head comparison with the costs in this week's list. In other words, please use the charts as a general guide, not gospel.
John O'Dell: is an AutoObserver Senior Editor. Follow @AutoObserver on Twitter.
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