Car & Vehicle

KM Per Litre Calculator

Kilometres per litre from a distance and a quantity of fuel. Two numbers in, one out.

4 inputs Free, no sign-up

Your figures

What went in at the second fill-up. That is the amount the trip used, which is why the tank has to be filled to the same point both times.

Try an example

Result

Your result

Enter your figures and the result appears here.

Estimates only. Rates, fees and specifications change. Confirm against the official source before you rely on a figure — see our disclaimer.

About this calculator

Kilometres per litre is distance divided by fuel. That is the entire calculation, and this page does it — then shows the same figure in the three other units economy gets quoted in, so you are never left converting by hand.

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter the distance you covered.
  2. Enter the fuel it took.

The two numbers have to describe the same stretch of driving. The usual way to be sure of that is to fill the tank, reset the trip meter, drive, and fill again.

The formula

km/L = Distance / Fuel used

Higher is better in this unit. It is the standard in India and across South Asia; most of Europe uses L/100 km, where lower is better, and Britain and America use miles per gallon on two different gallons.

SymbolMeaningUnit
Distance Distance covered km or mi
Fuel used Fuel it consumed L or gal

Worked example

420 km / 30 litres = 14 km/L

The same tank is 7.14 L/100 km, 39.55 mpg imperial and 32.93 mpg US.

Notes and limits

  • A figure from a single tank is a sample. Take three consecutive tanks before treating it as your car's number.
  • The trip computer's reading and the tank measurement usually disagree by a few percent. The tank measurement is the one that matches what you paid for.
  • If you are filling with CNG, the same division gives km/kg.
  • To turn this into money, the cost per km calculator takes it and a pump price.

What this calculation assumes

  • The distance and the fuel describe the same stretch of driving.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate km per litre?

Divide the distance covered by the fuel used. 420 kilometres on 30 litres is 14 km/L.

Does the trip computer give the same answer?

Usually close, but not identical. Trip computers estimate fuel flow rather than measuring the tank, and most read a few percent optimistic. The two-fill-up method matches the fuel you actually bought.

Is a higher km/L better?

Yes - more distance from the same litre. Be careful when comparing with L/100 km, which runs the other way: there, lower is better.

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