L/100km to MPG (US) Converter

Convert L/100km to MPG (US) instantly — enter a value in either field.

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L/100km to MPG (US) conversion table

L/100km (L/100km) MPG (US) (mpg (US))
4 L/100km 58.8 mpg (US)
5 L/100km 47 mpg (US)
6 L/100km 39.2 mpg (US)
7 L/100km 33.6 mpg (US)
8 L/100km 29.4 mpg (US)
9 L/100km 26.1 mpg (US)
10 L/100km 23.5 mpg (US)
11 L/100km 21.4 mpg (US)
12 L/100km 19.6 mpg (US)
13 L/100km 18.1 mpg (US)
14 L/100km 16.8 mpg (US)
15 L/100km 15.7 mpg (US)

How to convert L/100km to MPG (US)

mpg (US) = 235.215 ÷ L/100km

Example: 7 L/100km → 235.215 ÷ 7 = 33.6 mpg (US)

About this conversion

Europe measures fuel economy as litres consumed per 100 km — a consumption figure where lower numbers mean better efficiency. The United States instead uses miles per US gallon, a range figure where higher numbers are better. These two approaches measure the same thing from opposite directions, which means the conversion is an inversion rather than simple multiplication.

The formula follows directly from the definitions: one US gallon is exactly 3.785411784 litres and one mile is exactly 1.609344 km. Working through the unit algebra gives mpg (US) = 235.215 ÷ L/100km. A car rated 6 L/100km gets 39.2 mpg; at 10 L/100km it drops to 23.5 mpg. The relationship is non-linear: improving from 10 to 9 L/100km yields a larger mpg gain than improving from 6 to 5 L/100km.

"mpg" without qualification almost always means US gallons in American contexts. British mpg uses the larger imperial gallon (4.54609 L), so the same car reports roughly 20% higher on the UK scale. If you are comparing European L/100km figures against British mpg claims, use the constant 282.481 instead of 235.215.

Frequently asked questions

Why is L/100km the inverse of MPG?

L/100km measures consumption (fuel per distance) while MPG measures range (distance per fuel). Converting between them requires the formula mpg = 235.215 ÷ L/100km, a reciprocal relationship. Doubling L/100km halves the mpg value.

What is a good L/100km figure in MPG terms?

A typical efficient car at 5 L/100km gets about 47 mpg (US); an average car at 7 L/100km gets roughly 34 mpg; a thirsty vehicle at 12 L/100km corresponds to only 20 mpg.

Does this converter use US or UK gallons?

US gallons (3.785 L). For UK (imperial) gallons (4.546 L), multiply the mpg result by 1.201, or use the mpg-us-to-mpg-uk converter on this site.

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