To work out your fuel consumption per kilometer, first record how much fuel you use and the distance you travel between two refueling stops. There are two common methods: calculating fuel consumption in liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km) and calculating consumption in liters per kilometer (L/km).
To calculate liters per kilometer (L/km):
- Divide the total liters of fuel used by the total kilometers traveled.[2]
- Example: If you used 100 liters over 1320 km, then 100 ÷ 1320 = 0.07576 L/km.
To calculate liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km):
- Multiply the liters per kilometer by 100.[1][2][8]
- Or use the formula: (Liters Used × 100) ÷ Kilometers Traveled.[1]
- Example: (65 × 100) ÷ 500 = 13 L/100 km.
Practical steps:
- Fill your tank completely. Reset your trip counter.
- Drive as normal. At your next fill-up, fill the tank fully again. Note the number of liters refilled and the trip counter’s distance.[8]
- These two numbers allow you to use the formulas above.
If you wish to know fuel cost per kilometer: Divide the fuel cost for the amount used by the number of kilometers traveled.