The Cadillac ELR does 32.7 mpg combined (31 city, 34.3 highway), which works out to about $1,174 a year in fuel at $3.20 a gallon and 12,000 miles. Against other Plug-in hybrid cars it sits below the average of 35.6 mpg.
Every Cadillac ELR engine, compared
The Cadillac ELR was rated in a single specification, so its gas mileage does not vary by version — only by model year. Yearly cost assumes 12,000 miles at $3.20 a gallon.
| Engine | Combined | City / Highway | Years | Fuel per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4L 4-cyl Plug-in hybrid | 31 / 34.3 | 2014–2016 | $1,174 |
What that actually costs
The Cadillac ELR burns a gallon every 32.7 miles, so 12,000 miles takes about 367 gallons a year. At $3.20 that is what the table below adds up to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost per mile | $0.098 |
| Fuel per year | $1,174 |
| Fuel over five years | $5,870 |
| Against other Plug-in hybrid cars | +$95 a year |
| EPA's own estimate | $2,367 a year |
City or highway — who is this car for
The Cadillac ELR gives up 3.3 mpg the moment you leave the motorway — 34.3 out there against 31 in town, a 11% drop worth $119 a year. A wide gap punishes stop-and-start traffic; a narrow one means the car doesn't care where you drive it.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| City | 31 mpg | $1,239 a year if you only drive in town |
| Highway | 34.3 mpg | $1,120 a year if you mostly commute |
| Gap | +3.3 mpg (11%) | Narrow — equally happy either way |
How the ELR changed over the years
The ELR peaked in 2015 at 33 mpg (31 city, 35 highway) and was at its thirstiest in 2016 at 32 — 1 mpg apart, or $36 a year in fuel between buying one year and the other. The 2016 car does 32.
| Model year | Combined | City / Highway | Engines offered | Fuel per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 31 / 33 | 1 | $1,200 | |
| 2015 | 31 / 35 | 1 | $1,164 | |
| 2014 | 31 / 35 | 1 | $1,164 |
MPG is a number. Dollars per year is the answer.
- Fuel profile built from your actual mileage and local prices
- Fuel tracker: what you really spend, month by month
- Insurance and fuel folded into 5-year cost to own
- Compare any two cars on total cost, not sticker price
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
How we count
This page rests on 3 EPA ratings of the Cadillac ELR — 1 engine across 2014–2016. The mileage is EPA's laboratory figure, unchanged; the yearly bill is ours, at 12,000 miles and $3.20 a gallon, against EPA's own estimate of $2,367. Full method.
Frequently asked questions
What mpg does the Cadillac ELR get?
32.7 mpg combined on average — 31 in the city and 34.3 on the highway, per EPA ratings across 2014–2016.
How much does a Cadillac ELR cost in fuel per year?
About $1,174 at 12,000 miles and $3.20 a gallon — roughly $5,870 over five years, or 0.098 dollars a mile.
Which ELR engine is the most economical?
The 1.4L 4-cyl Plug-in hybrid at 32.7 mpg.
Is the ELR good on fuel compared with similar cars?
Against other Plug-in hybrid cars it sits below the average of 35.6 mpg, computed across 157 ratings.
Are these real-world ELR figures?
No — they are EPA laboratory ratings, the same ones printed on the window sticker, and EPA's own annual fuel estimate for the Cadillac ELR is $2,367 against the $1,174 we compute at 12,000 miles. Expect a little worse in practice: the spread between the city and highway figures is smaller than the spread between two drivers of the same one.
Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.