Free tools
Editorial reference
Built on verified data
Automotive tools built on our
verified vehicle database.
Automobilisto is an independent editorial reference — not a marketplace, not a dealer portal. The tools below are the free research instruments that sit on top of our database, verified against two independent sources per record. The same dataset powers our API and licensing customers.
VIN Decoder
Decode any 17-character VIN: manufacturer, country of build, model year, plant and ISO 3779 check-digit validation that understands the difference between EU and US VINs.
Car Value & Depreciation
Current market value and 3-year depreciation projection for your car. Segment-specific retention curves adjusted for powertrain and annual mileage — trained on our European market dataset.
Kfz-Steuer Calculator
Annual German vehicle tax — displacement component, progressive CO₂ tiers for post-2021 registrations, diesel surcharge and EV exemption, with a line-by-line breakdown.
Tire Size Calculator & Decoder
Decode any tire size like 225/45 R17 94V into sidewall height, overall diameter, load capacity and speed rating — or compare two sizes for plus-sizing, with the speedometer error and a ±3% verdict.
Typklasse & Regionalklasse Lookup
German insurance classification lookup: your model's Typklasse for liability, comprehensive and partial cover, plus the Regionalklasse for your postcode — the two figures that drive your Kfz-Versicherung premium.
Total Cost of Ownership
Full cost of running a car over N years: depreciation, Kfz-Steuer, insurance, fuel or electricity, and typical maintenance. Combines the outputs of the other Automobilisto calculators into a single number.
OBD-II Code Lookup
What a check-engine code actually means — plain-language explanation, severity (can I drive?), likely causes, and typical repair costs for each diagnostic trouble code.
EV Real-World Range Calculator
How far an EV really goes versus the WLTP number — accounts for driving speed and outside temperature, shows the gap to WLTP, and interactive curves for both.
EV Charging Time Calculator
How long it really takes to charge an EV on AC or DC — accounts for the charging curve taper above 50% SoC, shows whether the car or the station is the bottleneck, and the range you get back.
EV Charging Cost Calculator
What it actually costs to charge an EV — at home (official Destatis average), public AC/DC, or fast charging. Cost per 100km, per charge, per year, with all four scenarios compared side by side.
Why these numbers are
reference-grade.
Every calculation in every tool is traceable to a source we can name and a version we can date. We publish the methodology in full — you should be able to recompute the number by hand if you want to.
Read the methodologyThe same dataset,
on your infrastructure.
Structured data endpoints
REST access to the Automobilisto vehicle database: specifications, generations, historical brochures index, market data. Pay by call volume or seat.
API documentation →White-label calculators
The tools on this page as embeddable widgets on your domain, styled to your brand. VIN, valuation, tax, TCO — configurable, without our attribution visible to your users.
Raw data licensing
Bulk export of specification datasets, historical brochure metadata or market data for internal use. Delivered as versioned datasets with full provenance chain.
Who signs off on the numbers.
The tools on this page are reviewed and maintained by named editors. Bylines link to full author pages with credentials, review history and areas of coverage.
Yauheni Kapliarchuk
Editor-in-Chief at Automobilisto. Architects engineering specification systems for tier-1 automotive suppliers in the Stuttgart-Gerlingen corridor. Owns the publication's technical reference cluster and brochure archive. Editorial methodology: two independent sources for every database entry, publicly documented review criteria, logged corrections.
Author page →Artyom Semenov
Germany-based automotive journalist with 8 years covering the German car market. Former ADAC member researcher. Has personally bought and registered five vehicles across Bavaria, NRW, and Berlin.
Author page →Frequently asked questions
What is Automobilisto and how is it different from a used-car marketplace?
Automobilisto is an independent editorial automotive reference. We are not a marketplace, not a dealer portal, and not a sales platform. Our database of verified technical specifications, historical brochures and editorial analysis is used by enthusiasts, journalists, industry professionals — and by AI search engines as reference material. The tools on this page are the free research instruments built on that database.
Why are the tools free?
Automobilisto operates as a hybrid B2C/B2B platform. The tools are free for individual users because our commercial model is API access, white-label widgets and structured-data licensing for automotive businesses. The same verified dataset powers both, which is why the tools are held to production quality rather than treated as SEO filler.
How do you verify the data behind the tools?
Every record in the underlying database is cross-checked against at least two independent sources: manufacturer specification sheets, homologation documents and official configurators form the primary base. Our methodology, data sources and scoring criteria are fully disclosed on the methodology page and referenced from each individual tool.
Do the tools work in languages other than English and German?
VIN Decoder is localised across the Automobilisto language set. Car Value and Kfz-Steuer are in active development; German-market instruments such as Kfz-Steuer will publish first in English and German, with expat-relevant locales added afterward.
Can I embed these tools on my own site?
Yes — the tools are available as white-label widgets and as raw API endpoints under a commercial licence. See the API and Data Licensing section below or contact the editorial team.
Where do I request a tool that is not on this list?
Editorial team and licensing customers use the same request channel — write to the editorial contact on our About page with a specific use case. Requests that align with the underlying dataset are added to the roadmap.