2024 Ford F-150 XLT vs 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT

Fuel economy, annual cost, and emissions compared side by side, based on official EPA data.

Ford F-150 is more fuel efficient: 21 MPG combined versus 20 MPG for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500.

Spec comparison

Spec2024 Ford F-150 XLT2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT
Combined fuel economy21 MPG20 MPG
City / highway19 / 25 MPG18 / 22 MPG
Annual fuel cost estimate$2,850$3,000
CO2 emissions425 g/mi453 g/mi
Tank sizeNot available from the EPA fuel economy data source used in this phase. To be sourced from manufacturer specifications in a future update.Not available from the EPA fuel economy data source used in this phase. To be sourced from manufacturer specifications in a future update.

How these compare

Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 are both cross shopped directly against each other. At 21 versus 20 MPG combined, the Ford F-150 comes out 5% more fuel efficient, working out to roughly $150 less in EPA estimated annual fuel cost at 15,000 miles a year. The gap is real but modest, so price, features, and reliability history will likely matter more than fuel economy alone when choosing between these two.

Cost over time

That annual gap compounds the longer you own the vehicle. Over three years of ownership at the same 15,000 miles a year assumption, the fuel cost difference between the Ford F-150 and the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 grows to roughly $450; over five years, it's closer to $750. These figures assume EPA's flat national average fuel price throughout, so treat them as a directional estimate rather than a precise forecast, since real fuel prices rise and fall over any multi-year period.

Emissions over time

At 15,000 miles a year, that emissions gap works out to about 6.4 metric tons of tailpipe CO2 annually for the Ford F-150 versus 6.8 metric tons for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, a difference of roughly 0.4 metric tons a year. Over a typical five to seven year ownership period, that adds up to several metric tons of difference in direct tailpipe emissions alone, before accounting for how the electricity or fuel itself was produced.

Range and refueling

Neither vehicle here uses a conventional fuel tank, so a fill-up range comparison doesn't apply directly to either. Charging or refueling speed and availability matter more for day to day convenience in this case than a simple range figure.

Frequently asked questions

The Ford F-150 is, rated at 21 MPG combined versus 20 MPG for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, a 5% difference.

Not necessarily. Fuel is only one part of ownership cost alongside purchase price, insurance, financing, and maintenance. A meaningfully lower purchase price or insurance premium on the less efficient vehicle can outweigh its higher fuel cost depending on how many miles you drive each year and how long you plan to keep it.

EPA's own estimate, assuming 15,000 miles a year at each vehicle's combined rating and EPA's assumed national average fuel price, puts the Ford F-150 at $2,850 a year and the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 at $3,000 a year, a gap of roughly $150. Your own annual cost will differ based on your actual mileage and local fuel price.

The Ford F-150, at 425 grams of CO2 per mile versus 453 for the Chevrolet Silverado 1500. CO2 emissions are calculated directly from fuel consumed, so the vehicle with better fuel economy always has the lower emissions rating within the same fuel type.

Based on EPA's annual estimate, about $150 a year at 15,000 miles of driving. Over a five year ownership period that's roughly $750, though your real saving depends on your own annual mileage and local fuel price.

It can shift the real comparison. The Ford F-150 shows a 6 MPG spread between its city and highway ratings (19 city, 25 highway), while the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 shows a 4 MPG spread (18 city, 22 highway). If your driving leans heavily toward one condition rather than a typical mix, comparing the relevant city or highway figure directly can be more useful than the blended combined rating used above.

The percentage efficiency gap between the Ford F-150 and the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 stays the same regardless of mileage, but the dollar amount scales directly with how much you actually drive. A driver covering 25,000 miles a year would see roughly 67% more of the annual cost gap shown above, while someone driving 7,500 miles a year would see about half of it.