The easiest way to calculate truck fuel consumption is to use the formula: Fuel Consumption = Fuel Used / Distance Travelled.[2] For example, if your truck uses 100 liters of fuel to travel 1,320 km, divide fuel used by distance: 100 / 1,320 = 0.07576 liters per kilometer.[1]
To convert this to the more common unit of liters per 100 kilometers, multiply by 100:
Fuel consumption = 0.07576 × 100 = 7.576 L/100 km.[1]
If you prefer miles per gallon (mpg):
- Travel a set distance, refilling the tank as you go.[3]
- Divide the number of miles traveled between fill-ups by the gallons used to refill: MPG = miles driven / gallons filled.
To find out your fuel cost per mile or per kilometer:
- Divide the per-gallon (or per-liter) price of fuel by your miles per gallon (or kilometers per liter). For example, at $2.10/gallon and 5.7 mpg: 2.10 / 5.7 = $0.3684 per mile (about 37 cents/mile).[3][5]
For trip planning, you can estimate total fuel cost with:
- Fuel Needed = Distance / Fuel Efficiency (in miles or kilometers per gallon/liter).
- Fuel Cost = Fuel Needed × Price per unit (gallon/liter).[5]
Many calculators and online tools can automate these calculations—just enter your distance and fuel used, and the calculator will output fuel consumption and trip cost.[2][4]