Anybody who drives has at least noticed they’re paying more at the pump the past three months, whether it’s a painful dent in the wallet or not. Now the financial hit has been quantified.
For those with fully gas-powered models, the effect is significant, according to iSeeCars.com analysis of 2.1 million 3-year-old vehicles sold in 2025.
The automotive search engine and research provider calculated annual fuel costs for gas, hybrid and fully electric models based on average annual odometer readings and fuel costs in January and in April of this year.
Comparing the different drive trains put fuel costs in detailed perspective. Internal combustion engine models’ annual cost rose $706 in the studied time period compared to an $11 increase for purely electric models, iSeeCars found.
Hybrid models, meanwhile, though driven more miles annually on average than the other drive train types, cost about $700 less to fuel than gas vehicles, though their average fuel cost still rose by $486, according to the report. Plug-in hybrids’ cost increased by $279.
Gasoline price inflation resulted from the war the U.S. and Israel opened in Iran on Feb. 28. Iran has since limited shipping access to the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 21% of global petroleum normally flows, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which calls the strait “the world’s most important oil transit chokepoint.”
The price of gas in the U.S. has consequently jumped 30%, and the inflation has disproportionately affected drivers of the large vehicles that have come to dominate American roads, iSeeCars pointed out. The higher-use, less fuel-efficient models, especially pickups, large SUVs and minivans, have brought the biggest financial hits.
Minivans, in fact, experienced the highest average fuel cost increase of all due to the fact that they tend to be driven significantly more miles per year – more than 19,000, iSeeCars reported.
“Trucks, minivans, and SUVs offer a wide range of functionality, which is why they are so popular with consumers,” company Executive Analyst Karl Brauer said. “Unfortunately, their highly functional, do-it-all nature combines with relatively low fuel efficiency to make them the most vulnerable to gas price spikes.”
Ironically, the Trump administration spearheaded the end of federal electric-vehicle incentives last year, including a consumer tax credit and public charger incentives. Then it joined with Israel to attack Iran, which quickly resulted in the Strait of Hormuz dilemma.
“You’d expect EV drivers to be largely shielded from the 30% rise in fuel prices over the past 3 months, and their $11 increase in annual fuel costs versus $706 for gasoline vehicles confirms it,” Brauer said.
Get iSeeCars’ full fuel analysis here.