Fuel Efficiency - Volume Converter

About Fuel Efficiency Volume Conversion

Fuel efficiency by volume measures how far a vehicle can travel per unit of fuel volume consumed, or in some cases, how much fuel volume is needed to travel a fixed distance. These measurements are commonly used to express a vehicle's fuel economy.

Common Fuel Efficiency Volume Conversions

• 1 mile per gallon (mpg) = 0.425144 kilometers per liter (km/L)
• 1 kilometer per liter (km/L) = 2.35215 miles per gallon (mpg)
• 1 liter per 100 kilometers (L/100km) = 235.215 / mpg
• 1 mile per gallon (mpg) = 235.215 / L/100km
• 1 mile per liter (mi/L) = 0.621371 kilometers per liter (km/L)
• 1 gallon per 100 miles (gal/100mi) = 62.1371 × L/100km / 3.78541

Understanding Fuel Efficiency Measurements

There are two main approaches to measuring fuel efficiency by volume:

• Distance per volume (e.g., mpg, km/L): Measures how far a vehicle can travel per unit of fuel. Higher values indicate better efficiency.
• Volume per distance (e.g., L/100km, gal/100mi): Measures how much fuel is consumed to travel a fixed distance. Lower values indicate better efficiency.

These different approaches can sometimes lead to confusion when comparing fuel efficiencies, especially across countries that use different measurement systems.

Regional Variations in Fuel Efficiency Units

Different regions commonly use different units for fuel efficiency:

• United States: Miles per US gallon (mpg)
• United Kingdom: Miles per imperial gallon (Note: 1 imperial gallon = 1.2 US gallons)
• European Union: Liters per 100 kilometers (L/100km)
• Japan: Kilometers per liter (km/L)
• Australia: Liters per 100 kilometers (L/100km)
• Canada: Liters per 100 kilometers (L/100km), but mpg is also widely understood

Non-Linearity of Fuel Efficiency Conversions

It's important to note that the relationship between different fuel efficiency units is not always linear, especially when converting between "distance per volume" and "volume per distance" measures. For example:

• 10 mpg = 23.5 L/100km
• 20 mpg = 11.8 L/100km
• 30 mpg = 7.8 L/100km
• 40 mpg = 5.9 L/100km
• 50 mpg = 4.7 L/100km

This non-linearity means that an improvement from 15 to 20 mpg saves more fuel over a given distance than an improvement from 30 to 35 mpg, despite both representing a 5 mpg increase.

Typical Fuel Efficiency Values for Vehicles

• Compact cars: 25-40 mpg (9.4-5.9 L/100km)
• Midsize cars: 20-35 mpg (11.8-6.7 L/100km)
• SUVs: 15-30 mpg (15.7-7.8 L/100km)
• Pickup trucks: 12-25 mpg (19.6-9.4 L/100km)
• Hybrid vehicles: 40-60 mpg (5.9-3.9 L/100km)
• Plug-in hybrids: 50-130 mpge* (4.7-1.8 L/100km equivalent)
• Electric vehicles: 100-130 mpge* (2.4-1.8 L/100km equivalent)

*mpge (miles per gallon equivalent) is used for vehicles that don't use liquid fuel or use a combination of fuel types.

Factors Affecting Fuel Efficiency

Many factors can affect a vehicle's real-world fuel efficiency:

• Driving habits (acceleration, braking patterns, speed)
• Vehicle maintenance (tire pressure, engine tuning)
• Environmental conditions (temperature, wind, road conditions)
• Vehicle loading (passengers, cargo)
• Use of auxiliary systems (air conditioning, heating)
• Traffic conditions (city vs. highway, congestion)

Our fuel efficiency volume converter provides accurate conversions between all these units, making it easy to translate between different measurement systems for vehicle comparisons, travel calculations, and fuel cost estimates.