L/100km = 235.215 ÷ mpg
| Miles per gallon (US) (mpg) | Liters per 100 km (L/100km) |
|---|---|
| 10 | 23.521 |
| 12 | 19.601 |
| 15 | 15.681 |
| 18 | 13.068 |
| 20 | 11.761 |
| 22 | 10.692 |
| 25 | 9.409 |
| 28 | 8.4 |
| 30 | 7.84 |
| 32 | 7.35 |
| 35 | 6.72 |
| 38 | 6.19 |
| 40 | 5.88 |
| 42 | 5.6 |
| 45 | 5.227 |
| 48 | 4.9 |
| 50 | 4.704 |
| 55 | 4.277 |
| 60 | 3.92 |
| 70 | 3.36 |
To convert MPG (US) to L/100km, divide 235.215 by the MPG value. The formula is: L/100km = 235.215 ÷ MPG. Note this is an INVERSE relationship — higher MPG means lower L/100km (better fuel economy).
L/100km = 235.215 ÷ mpg
Convert 30 MPG to L/100km: 235.215 ÷ 30 = 7.84 L/100km
Convert 50 MPG (a hybrid car) to L/100km: 235.215 ÷ 50 = 4.70 L/100km
To convert L/100km to MPG, divide 235.215 by the L/100km value.
\u2022 15 mpg (15.7 L/100km) is typical for a large SUV or truck.
\u2022 30 mpg (7.8 L/100km) is average for a modern sedan.
\u2022 50 mpg (4.7 L/100km) is typical for a hybrid vehicle.
\u2022 In L/100km: lower is better. 5 L/100km is excellent, 10 is average, 15+ is thirsty.
MPG and L/100km both measure fuel economy, but they work in opposite directions. MPG (miles per gallon) measures distance per unit of fuel — higher is better. L/100km (liters per 100 kilometers) measures fuel per distance — lower is better. This inverse relationship is the trickiest part of the conversion.
If you’re comparing cars between the US and Europe, you need this conversion. A European car rated at 5.5 L/100km gets about 42.8 MPG — excellent by American standards. An American truck getting 15 MPG uses 15.7 L/100km — high by European standards.
When renting a car in a metric country, the fuel economy sticker will show L/100km. Understanding that 6 L/100km ≈ 39 MPG helps you choose an efficient vehicle and estimate fuel costs for your trip.
The formula is simple: L/100km = 235.215 ÷ MPG. The constant 235.215 comes from converting miles to kilometers and gallons to liters. The key insight is that doubling your MPG cuts your L/100km in half. Going from 20 to 40 MPG cuts fuel usage from 11.8 to 5.9 L/100km.
UK MPG uses the larger imperial gallon (4.546 L), so UK MPG numbers are always higher than US MPG for the same car. A car getting 40 US MPG gets about 48 UK MPG. The formula for UK MPG to L/100km is: 282.481 ÷ UK MPG.
Divide 235.215 by the MPG value. For example, 30 MPG = 235.215 ÷ 30 = 7.84 L/100km.
Lower is better. L/100km measures fuel consumption — a car using 5 L/100km is more efficient than one using 10 L/100km.
Under 6 L/100km (over 39 MPG) is excellent. 6-8 L/100km (29-39 MPG) is good. 8-12 L/100km (20-29 MPG) is average. Over 12 L/100km (under 20 MPG) is poor.
Because MPG and L/100km have an inverse relationship. MPG measures distance per fuel, while L/100km measures fuel per distance. The conversion uses division, not multiplication.