Your Guide To Typical Moped Gas Mileages
- on May 30, 2024
- Categories: Articles
Many buyers purchase a moped or scooter because of the difference in cost when compared to a motorcycle or a car. If needed for a single person's daily commute, mopeds are the obvious best choice. While the cost of the vehicle is less, one might wonder about moped gas mileage and if it's much better than a car or a motorcycle.
Moped Gas Mileage: Are Mopeds Fuel Efficient?
Scooters and mopeds are some of the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the market. The power output and size of the engine, otherwise known as engine displacement, is what determines fuel efficiency. The smaller the engine, the less fuel it consumes, and the more fuel-efficient the vehicle is. Moped engines are significantly smaller than motorcycles, cars, four-wheelers, and other vehicles.
How Many Miles Does a Moped Get to the Gallon?
Mopeds are all different, widely ranging from one to the next when it comes to miles per gallon. 50cc, 125cc, and 150cc mopeds each reach a different speed, which means they each consume fuel on a different level as well. On average, a moped gets around 85-90 miles per gallon, but smaller engines get more and larger engines get less.
How Many MPG Does a 50cc Moped Get?
Several factors determine gas mileage on a moped, but in all the right conditions, different engine sizes indicate miles per gallon. On average:
- A 50cc moped goes around 40 miles per hour and gets approximately 110 miles per gallon.
- A 125cc moped goes around 50 miles per hour and gets approximately 95 miles per gallon.
- A 150cc moped goes around 60 miles per hour and gets approximately 70 miles per gallon.
In 200cc or 250cc scooters, fuel efficiency is lower. If that's your main purchasing point, look at the smaller engines.
What Other Factors Impact Fuel Efficiency for a Moped?
Regardless of the size of your moped, other factors impact moped gas mileage and fuel efficiency.
Fueling the Moped Correctly
Higher octane gas improves performance and gives you a little boost in fuel efficiency. If you have an option for ethanol-free gas, you can choose a lower octane gas, but ethanol-free isn't always readily available. Shoot for 93 octane; 91 at minimum.
Watching the Accelerator
It's easy to want to accelerate quickly, but that's a great way to waste gas. The smoother and more steady your transitions on the road, the more fuel-efficient your ride will be. While sudden bursts in speed are sometimes required for a lane change or to steer away from an accident, they should be avoided in any other situation.
Maintaining Accurate Tire Pressure
Underinflated tires create more drag and increase resistance. This makes the engine work harder, send more fuel, and wear out more quickly as it tries to get the machine to go faster. Keeping your tires inflated to an accurate pressure ensures this resistance does not happen, allowing your moped to use less fuel in return.
Avoiding Idle Time
As with any vehicle, the longer you idle, the more fuel you'll waste. If you're waiting for someone, visiting on the side of the road, or using your phone before heading out, turn off the engine if it's going to last longer than one minute. This simple act could increase scooter gas mileage by a large amount.
Maintaining Your Moped
Moped gas mileage is largely related to maintenance. If the vehicle is in poor condition, it's not going to work to its maximum ability. Some maintenance items include:
- Keeping up on regular oil changes
- Replacing filters as needed or on a regular schedule
- Checking the spark plugs
- Completing repairs as they come up
Keeping your moped clean is another way to maintain fuel efficiency. When dirt or other particles are stuck within the parts of your engine, it will have to work harder to go faster. This decreases power and fuel efficiency.
Choosing the Right Terrain
Riding your moped on smooth terrain will use less gas than riding on rough terrain. You may not have a choice in some situations, but when faced with either rough or smooth terrain, always choose the smoother route if you want to increase fuel efficiency.
How Many Miles Can a 50cc Moped Do on a Full Tank?
Now that you understand a little about moped gas mileage and fuel efficiency, you might be wondering how far you'll be able to go on your new moped with a full tank of gas. Most 50cc mopeds carry about 1.5 gallons, though the largest tanks carry 2.1 gallons. With all the right conditions, a 50cc scooter with a 1.5-gallon tank should be able to take you around 165 miles.
If you have a moped with a 2.1-gallon tank, you'll be able to go about 231 miles before you have to fill up again. Keeping your tank full is another way to improve fuel efficiency, so you probably don't want to wait until you run out of gas to fill up, but this gives you a mark for planning budgets and trips.
When comparing engine sizes and the distance you can get on a full tank of gas, don't assume you'll go further with a larger engine. A 150cc scooter also only has a one- or two-gallon tank, and at 70 miles per gallon, you'll have anywhere from 70 to 140 miles before you need to fill up again. The largest tank for a 150cc scooter is 3.7 gallons, which will give you 259 miles on a full tank, but you won't find a tank that large on many scooters.
