Americans Drive More Than Ever—and They’re Paying for It

The average total cost of owning and operating an automobile is more than $12,000.

Cars on a highway in the Queens borough of New York City, on March 23, 2025. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times

Americans are driving trillions of miles per year, and it is costing them more than ever before.

Over the past few years, price inflation has been prevalent in every aspect of the economy, from eggs to electricity. Vehicles have not been immune to the post-pandemic inflationary pressures.