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Fuel Economy Converter

US MPG • L/100km • km/L • UK MPG

Fuel Economy Value ⓘ

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Enter fuel economy to convert

How to Use the Fuel Economy Converter

Enter fuel economy value — e.g., 30 for 30 MPG or 7.5 for 7.5 L/100km.
Select From unit — US MPG (American standard), L/100km (European), km/L (Asian/metric), or UK MPG (British Imperial).
Select To unit — your target unit.
Results panel — shows all four fuel economy metrics simultaneously plus an efficiency gauge.
Note — L/100km is an inverse scale: lower = more efficient. MPG and km/L are direct: higher = more efficient.

Benefits

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Compare Car Specs

Easily compare US EPA ratings (MPG) with European fuel economy (L/100km) when researching imported vehicles.

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International Travel

Understand rental car fuel specs and gas station pricing per liter in any country.

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Fuel Cost Planning

Know exactly how much fuel your trip will cost in any country's measurement system.

Fuel Economy Conversion Guide — MPG, L/100km, km/L

Fuel economy conversion is increasingly important as Americans buy European or Asian cars, travel abroad, or compare vehicles across international markets. The US uses miles per gallon (MPG) while Europe uses liters per 100 kilometers (L/100km) and many Asian markets use kilometers per liter (km/L). These are not simple multiplication conversions — converting MPG to L/100km requires using 235.214 as the conversion constant.

Key formulas: L/100km = 235.214 ÷ US MPG. US MPG = 235.214 ÷ L/100km. km/L = US MPG × 0.425144. UK MPG = US MPG × 1.20095 (UK gallon is 20% larger). A "30 MPG" US car = 7.84 L/100km. A European "5 L/100km" car = 47.1 US MPG. 40 MPG US = 5.88 L/100km = 17.01 km/L.

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US MPG Reference

Poor: under 20 mpg. Average: 25–35 mpg. Good: 35–50 mpg. Hybrid: 45–60 mpg. EV equivalent: 80–130 MPGe. 2024 CAFE standard: 49 mpg fleet average.

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European L/100km

Poor: above 10 L/100km. Average: 6–8 L/100km. Good: 4–6 L/100km. Excellent: under 4 L/100km. EU 2030 target: 1.4 L/100km CO₂ equivalent average.

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Fuel Cost Example

At $3.50/gal & 30 MPG: 100 miles costs $11.67. At €1.80/L & 7 L/100km: 100 km costs €12.60. Cost per mile: MPG-car = price÷mpg. Cost per km: L/100km-car = (price×L100km)÷100.

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EV: MPGe

Miles Per Gallon equivalent: 33.7 kWh = 1 gallon energy. Tesla Model 3: 132 MPGe. Nissan Leaf: 111 MPGe. Chevy Bolt: 120 MPGe. EV cost equivalent: 33.7 kWh at $0.14 = $4.72 vs $3.50 gas at 30 MPG for same miles.

Fuel Economy FAQ

How do you convert MPG to L/100km? ▾

L/100km = 235.214 ÷ MPG (US). This formula works because 1 US gallon = 3.78541 L and 1 mile = 1.60934 km. Example: 30 MPG = 235.214 ÷ 30 = 7.84 L/100km. 25 MPG = 9.41 L/100km. 40 MPG = 5.88 L/100km. 50 MPG = 4.70 L/100km. Note: use 282.481 ÷ UK MPG for L/100km when working with Imperial gallons.

Why is US MPG different from UK MPG? ▾

The US gallon = 3.78541 liters while the UK (Imperial) gallon = 4.54609 liters — a 20% difference. A car rated at 40 UK MPG = 33.3 US MPG. This confusion arose because both countries use "miles" but different gallon sizes. When comparing UK and US car fuel economy claims, always check which gallon is used. European specs use L/100km, eliminating the ambiguity entirely.

What is a good fuel economy in MPG? ▾

For a non-hybrid gas car in 2024–2026: Under 20 MPG = poor (large trucks/SUVs). 20–30 MPG = below average. 30–40 MPG = good. 40–50 MPG = excellent. 50+ MPG = top tier (typically hybrids). Plug-in hybrids can achieve 50–60 MPG. Full EVs are rated in MPGe: 80–130 MPGe is typical. The EPA CAFE standard requires automakers to average ~49 MPG fleet-wide by 2026.

How do I calculate fuel cost from MPG? ▾

Fuel cost = (distance ÷ MPG) × price per gallon. Example: 300 miles ÷ 30 MPG = 10 gallons × $3.50 = $35 total cost. Cost per mile = price per gallon ÷ MPG. At $3.50 and 30 MPG: $3.50 ÷ 30 = $0.117 per mile. For L/100km: cost = (distance in km ÷ 100) × L/100km rating × price per liter. At €1.80/L and 7 L/100km: 100 km costs 7 × €1.80 = €12.60.