Fuel Converter
Convert fuel volume (Liters, Gallons) or fuel economy (mpg, km/L, L/100km) — instantly and accurately.
Fuel Converter
Choose a mode, enter a value, and select units.
Converted Value
1 L = 0.2642 galWhat This Fuel Converter Supports Across Regional Standards
This tool covers miles per gallon, the standard fuel efficiency unit used in the United States and, with a different gallon definition, the United Kingdom. It also handles liters per 100 kilometers, the standard efficiency unit used across most of continental Europe, and kilometers per liter, commonly used across much of Asia and other regions, giving global coverage across the three major fuel efficiency standards in common use.
Common Fuel Efficiency Conversions Worth Knowing
A vehicle achieving 40 miles per gallon converts to roughly 5.9 liters per 100 kilometers, illustrating the inverse relationship between these two units, since a lower L/100km figure represents better fuel efficiency while a higher mpg figure represents the same improved efficiency. This inverse relationship is a common point of confusion when comparing fuel economy figures across regions.
| From | To | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Gallons (US) | Liters | × 3.78541 |
| Liters | Gallons (US) | × 0.264172 |
| MPG (US) | km/L | × 0.425144 |
| MPG (US) | L/100km | 235.215 ÷ mpg |
| km/L | MPG (US) | × 2.35215 |
| Gallons (UK) | Liters | × 4.54609 |
How to Use This Fuel Converter
Enter your fuel efficiency value into the input field. Select the unit you are converting from, choosing between mpg, L/100km, or km/L. Then select your target unit. The converted result appears instantly, using precise standardized conversion factors, with careful handling of the difference between US mpg and UK mpg, since these two units use different underlying gallon definitions despite sharing the same name.
Why Lower L/100km and Higher mpg Both Mean Better Efficiency
This inverse relationship trips up many people comparing fuel efficiency figures for the first time. Miles per gallon measures how far a vehicle travels on a fixed amount of fuel, so a higher number means better efficiency. Liters per 100 kilometers measures how much fuel is consumed over a fixed distance, so a lower number means better efficiency. Understanding this fundamental difference is essential before comparing any vehicle specifications sourced from different regional standards.
Pro Tip: A US gallon is about 3.785 liters while a UK (imperial) gallon is about 4.546 liters — this is why US and UK mpg figures aren't directly comparable. Always check which gallon standard is being used.
Comparing Vehicle Fuel Economy Across International Markets
Car buyers researching a vehicle originally sold in a different region frequently encounter fuel economy figures reported in an unfamiliar unit, whether that is a European model specified in L/100km or a UK-market vehicle using UK mpg rather than the different US mpg standard. This converter handles all of these regional variations correctly, giving an accurate, directly comparable efficiency figure regardless of the original source.
Frequently Asked Questions
Divide 235.2 by the mpg value to get the equivalent fuel efficiency expressed in liters per 100 kilometers, accounting for the inverse relationship between these two different measurement approaches.
A lower L/100km value means the vehicle consumes less fuel per distance traveled, so a lower number represents better fuel efficiency, the opposite relationship from mpg.
Fuel efficiency reporting follows regional measurement standards, with the US and UK commonly using mpg, most of Europe using L/100km, and other regions often using km/L.
No, US mpg and UK mpg use different underlying gallon definitions, since a UK gallon is larger than a US gallon, which means the same vehicle produces different mpg figures depending on which standard is applied.
Convert both figures into the same unit, either mpg or L/100km, using this converter, which correctly accounts for regional differences in gallon size and reporting convention.