Campervan Fuel Costs and MPG: What to Expect

Fuel is the running cost you feel on every single trip, so it pays to understand what a campervan actually uses. The honest answer: most diesel campervans and motorhomes manage between 25 and 40mpg, and your driving style and weight affect that more than the engine spec does.

Typical MPG by type

• Small panel-van conversions (VW Transporter size): 35-45mpg on a run.
• Medium coachbuilts on a Fiat Ducato or Peugeot Boxer base: 28-35mpg.
• Large A-class and overlander motorhomes: 20-28mpg at best.
• Older petrol campervans: 20-30mpg, and more expensive per mile.

At 30mpg and current diesel prices of around £1.40-£1.50 a litre, you're paying roughly 21-23 pence per mile for fuel alone. A 300-mile round trip to Cornwall costs about £65 in diesel.

What ruins your MPG

• Roof boxes, bike racks and roof air-con add drag and cost 2-5mpg.
• A fully loaded van - water, gas and kit - can cost another 2-3mpg.
• Speed: at 60mph you'll use noticeably less than at 70mph.
• Winter diesel blend and cold engines hit economy too.

Cruise at 60-65mph, keep the roof clear and don't carry a full water tank to the campsite, and you'll see the best figures a van can manage.

Petrol, diesel, LPG or electric?

Diesel dominates the UK campervan market for a reason: it's widely available and gives the van real range. LPG conversions have fallen out of favour as LPG stations have declined, and fully electric campervans remain rare and expensive, with most offering 150-250 miles of range at best. Hybrid setups are appearing but aren't yet common on converted vans.

Budgeting for fuel

Work on your van's realistic mpg, not the brochure figure, and add 10% for weight and winter conditions. If you cover 6,000 miles a year at 30mpg, that's roughly £1,350 a year in diesel. That's a solid chunk of the total running cost - see our full running costs guide for the rest.

Keep a log for the first few thousand miles. Your actual MPG - not the one in the advert - is the number to budget from.

Comparing fuel economy is one reason to search across similar models before you choose your van.