- Petrol prices in Delhi have crossed Rs 100 per litre after recent hikes amid Middle East tensions
- Delhi petrol now costs Rs 102.12 per litre, and diesel is priced at Rs 95.20 per litre
- NDTV asked ChatGPT if using a personal car is cheaper than taking cabs for daily Delhi-Gurugram commute
Petrol prices in Delhi have now crossed the Rs 100-per-litre mark after the recent hike. The petrol and diesel prices were revised for the fourth time in 11 days amid the ongoing war in the Middle East. In Delhi, petrol is now priced at Rs 102.12 per litre while diesel costs Rs 95.20 per litre.
Amid rising expenses, NDTV asked ChatGPT a practical question that many commuters in Delhi and nearby areas may relate to: “I am 30 years old and live in Kalindi Kunj, Delhi. I commute daily to my office in Gurugram and need to reach by 9:00 AM. For commuting, I sometimes take cabs (typically costing around Rs 500-800 per one-way trip depending on surge pricing), and on other days I use my own car. My car gives an average mileage of around 14–16 km/l, and current petrol prices in Delhi are close to Rs 100 per litre. My daily one-way commute distance is approximately 30 km. With rising fuel costs, I want to understand which option is more cost-effective and practical in the long run: using my personal car or taking cabs.”
Personal Car Or Cab? Here's What ChatGPT Suggested
ChatGPT suggested that using a personal car is still much cheaper than relying entirely on cabs for a daily office commute between Delhi and Gurugram.
According to the AI chatbot, a 60-km daily round trip in a personal car would require around 3.75 to 4.3 litres of petrol every day. So, based on current fuel prices, the estimated daily fuel was calculated to be around Rs 375-430.
But it is not that simple, as ChatGPT also pointed out that costs like servicing, insurance, maintenance, parking charges, tyre wear and vehicle depreciation should also be included. And after considering all these expenses, the total cost of using a personal car was calculated to be nearly Rs 500-720 per day.
Now comparing to the cabs, the same journey could cost anywhere between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,600 daily for a round trip, especially during peak hours in the National Capital Region (NCR).
ChatGPT estimated that over 22 working days in a month, travelling by personal car may cost around Rs 11,000-16,000. On the other hand, depending completely on cabs could come nearly to Rs 22,000-35,000.
The AI tool concluded that for people travelling almost every weekday, using a personal car remains the more cost-effective option. But it also suggested that many Delhi-NCR commuters may benefit from a hybrid approach. Basically, using their own car on regular office days while relying on cabs or the metro during heavy traffic or late nights.
