Fuel Efficiency Converter — MPG vs. L/100km Explained
Fuel efficiency tells you how far a vehicle can travel per unit of fuel, or how much fuel it consumes per unit of distance. Different countries use different measurements, which makes comparing vehicles from different markets confusing. Our fuel efficiency converter makes the comparison simple.
The Three Main Fuel Efficiency Metrics
- L/100km (Liters per 100 kilometers): The standard in Europe, India, Australia, and most of the world. Lower is better — a car consuming 5 L/100km is more fuel-efficient than one consuming 10 L/100km.
- km/L (Kilometers per liter): Used in India, Japan, and some other Asian countries. Higher is better — a car getting 20 km/L is more efficient than one getting 10 km/L.
- MPG (Miles Per Gallon): Used in the USA and UK. Higher is better. Note: the US gallon (3.785 L) and UK gallon (4.546 L) are different, so US MPG and UK MPG are not the same number!
Conversion Formulas
- L/100km → MPG (US): 235.215 ÷ L/100km
- MPG (US) → L/100km: 235.215 ÷ MPG
- L/100km → km/L: 100 ÷ L/100km
- MPG (UK) → L/100km: 282.481 ÷ MPG
Typical Fuel Economy by Vehicle Type
- Small hatchback: 5–7 L/100km (40–57 MPG)
- Family sedan: 7–10 L/100km (24–40 MPG)
- SUV/4WD: 9–14 L/100km (17–26 MPG)
- Hybrid car: 4–6 L/100km (40–60 MPG)
- Electric vehicle: 0 L/100km (measured in kWh/100km)