How to Calculate the Average Acceleration of a Car

The average acceleration is a key metric that determines a car's performance. Fast acceleration means that a car can gain high speed in a short distance. Average car acceleration is usually expressed in units (m/s^2 ) and can be calculated using the formula: Acceleration = d(v)/d(t), Abbreviation: 'm' stands for 'meter', 's^2' for 'square second,' 't' for 'time', 'v' for 'speed'. 'd(v)' is speed difference and 'd(t)' is time difference.
Consider this example of the calculations if a car accelerates from 30 to 65 mph in 4.4 s.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Calculator

1. Calculate the change in the car speed d(v).
   d(v)=v2-v1, where v2 is the final speed, v1 is the initial speed.
   In our example it would be d(v)=65-30=35 mph.

2. Convert speed in mph to m/s using the formula:
   d(v) m/s=0.447 x d(v) mph.
   In our example it would be
   d(v) = 0.447 x 35 mph =15.65 m/s

3. Calculate the change in time as d(t)=t2-t1.
   Note: d(t) is usually known . In our example it is 4.4 s.

4. Calculate average acceleration.
   Acceleration = d(v)/d(t).
   In our example, the average acceleration is 15.65 m/s / 4.4 s=3.56 (m/s^2).

References

• "Anatomy of Vehicle Performance: Cars, Pick-Ups, Vans, SUVs and Motorcycles", R.D. Nelson, Jul. 11, 2007.