MPG to km/L Converter
Convert miles per gallon to kilometers per liter (mpg to kmpl)
1 US mile per gallon = 0.425144 kilometers per liter. To convert mpg to km/L, multiply by 0.425144, so 30 mpg is 12.75 km/L.
Miles per gallon (US) to Kilometers per liter converter
LiveUS mpg uses the 3.785 L US gallon.
- 1.2009499 UK mpg
- 235.21458 L/100km
How to convert mpg to km/L
Unlike L/100km, kilometers per liter measures the same thing as mpg: distance per unit of fuel, with higher numbers meaning better economy. So the conversion is a plain multiplication. Replace the mile with 1.609344 km and the US gallon with 3.785411784 L, and one mpg becomes 1.609344 ÷ 3.785411784 = 0.425143707 km/L. Dividing by its reciprocal, 2.352146, gives the same result. Every other fuel economy unit, including L/100km and UK mpg, is on the fuel economy converter.
If the figure is in UK mpg (select it on the Gallon switch above), the gallon is the larger imperial one of 4.54609 L, and the factor falls to 0.354006. The mistake to avoid is using the UK factor on a US number, which understates economy by about 17%. The mpg to L/100km converter covers the fuel-per-distance format used in Europe, and the liters to gallons converter shows the two gallons side by side.
Step by step
- Check whether the figure is US mpg or UK mpg.
- Multiply US mpg by 0.425144 (UK mpg by 0.354006).
- Round to one or two decimal places.
See it on a scale
Worked examples
A 22 mpg SUV, a 35 mpg compact car and a 90 mpg small motorcycle, all in US gallons.
22 mpg × 0.4251437074 = 9.3531616 km/L
= 9.3531616 km/L
35 mpg × 0.4251437074 = 14.88003 km/L
= 14.88003 km/L
90 mpg × 0.4251437074 = 38.262934 km/L
= 38.262934 km/L
Is 20 km/L good fuel economy?
Yes: 20 km/L equals 47.04 US mpg, 56.50 UK mpg or 5 L/100km, which is hybrid territory by US standards.
In the markets that rate cars in km/L, the answer depends on the vehicle. Japanese kei cars and Indian compact hatchbacks commonly claim figures around 20 km/L, so there it is typical rather than exceptional, while a commuter motorcycle returning 20 km/L would be poor.
| km/L | US mpg | UK mpg | L/100km |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 23.52 | 28.25 | 10.00 |
| 15 | 35.28 | 42.37 | 6.67 |
| 20 | 47.04 | 56.50 | 5.00 |
| 25 | 58.80 | 70.62 | 4.00 |
| 30 | 70.56 | 84.74 | 3.33 |
Keep in mind that claimed figures come from laboratory test cycles, and real-world results are usually lower. For a fair comparison, convert both vehicles to the same unit and use figures from the same kind of test.
How do I work out driving range in km from an mpg rating?
Convert mpg to km/L, then multiply by the tank size in liters: a 30 mpg car with a 50 L tank covers about 12.754 × 50 = 637.7 km on a full tank.
If the tank size is listed in US gallons, you can skip the liters: range in miles is mpg × gallons, and multiplying by 1.609344 gives kilometers. A 14 gallon tank at 30 mpg gives 420 miles, or 675.92 km. The two methods agree whenever the tank sizes match, because both rest on the same exact gallon and mile.
Plan to refuel well before the calculated range runs out. Ratings assume test conditions, the last part of the tank is a reserve you should not rely on, and cold weather, towing or mountain roads all shorten the real distance. The km to miles converter helps if road signs and your odometer use different units.
MPG to km/L conversion chart
US miles per gallon converted to kilometers per liter and rounded to two decimal places. Because the relationship is linear, doubling mpg doubles km/L.
| Miles per gallon (US) (mpg) | Kilometers per liter (km/L) |
|---|---|
| 5 mpg | 2.13 km/L |
| 10 mpg | 4.25 km/L |
| 12 mpg | 5.1 km/L |
| 15 mpg | 6.38 km/L |
| 18 mpg | 7.65 km/L |
| 20 mpg | 8.5 km/L |
| 22 mpg | 9.35 km/L |
| 25 mpg | 10.63 km/L |
| 28 mpg | 11.9 km/L |
| 30 mpg | 12.75 km/L |
| 32 mpg | 13.6 km/L |
| 35 mpg | 14.88 km/L |
| 38 mpg | 16.16 km/L |
| 40 mpg | 17.01 km/L |
| 45 mpg | 19.13 km/L |
| 50 mpg | 21.26 km/L |
| 55 mpg | 23.38 km/L |
| 60 mpg | 25.51 km/L |
| 70 mpg | 29.76 km/L |
| 80 mpg | 34.01 km/L |
| 90 mpg | 38.26 km/L |
| 100 mpg | 42.51 km/L |
| 120 mpg | 51.02 km/L |
| 150 mpg | 63.77 km/L |
MPG vs km/L: what is the difference?
Miles per gallon and kilometers per liter are both economy figures, distance over fuel, so they rise and fall together; only the distance and volume units change.
| Attribute | Miles per gallon (US) | Kilometers per liter |
|---|---|---|
| Symbol | mpg | km/L |
| System | US | Metric (Asia, Latin America) |
| Defined as | 0.425144 km/L | 1 km/L |
| One unit equals | 0.42514371 km/L | 2.3521458 mpg |
| What it measures | Miles traveled on one US gallon | Kilometers traveled on one liter |
| Higher number means | Better economy | Better economy |
| Official ratings | US EPA window stickers and fueleconomy.gov | Japan's WLTC-mode ratings, ARAI-certified figures in India, Brazil's INMETRO labels |
| Everyday name | “Gas mileage” | “Mileage” or kmpl |
| Typical compact car | 35 mpg | 14.88 km/L |
4 key differences
- Both units put distance over fuel, so they convert with one multiplication (× 0.425144 for US mpg) instead of the division that L/100km needs.
- For the same car, the km/L figure is always 42.5% of the US mpg figure, a little under half.
- A liter is 26.42% of a US gallon and a kilometer is 62.14% of a mile, and dividing the first share by the second gives the 0.425144 factor.
- Ratings in km/L from Japan or India and ratings in mpg from the EPA come from different test cycles, so converting them lines up the units but not the test conditions.
Which countries use km/L for fuel economy?
Kilometers per liter is the everyday fuel economy unit in Japan, India and much of Latin America and Southeast Asia. Japanese catalogs list official ratings in km/L under the WLTC test mode. In India, a car's or motorcycle's “mileage” almost always means km/L, often written kmpl, and ads quote the figure certified by the testing agency ARAI. Brazil's official vehicle labels also use km/L.
If you are comparing a car sold in one of these markets with a US model, or importing a vehicle, convert the US mpg figure to km/L so both are on the same scale. Official test figures in each market come from different cycles, so treat the comparison as approximate.
US mpg vs UK mpg in km/L
The same mpg number gives a different km/L depending on which gallon it uses. US figures convert to higher km/L because the US gallon is smaller.
| mpg figure | If US gallons | If UK gallons |
|---|---|---|
| 15 mpg | 6.38 km/L | 5.31 km/L |
| 20 mpg | 8.50 km/L | 7.08 km/L |
| 25 mpg | 10.63 km/L | 8.85 km/L |
| 30 mpg | 12.75 km/L | 10.62 km/L |
| 35 mpg | 14.88 km/L | 12.39 km/L |
| 40 mpg | 17.01 km/L | 14.16 km/L |
| 50 mpg | 21.26 km/L | 17.70 km/L |
| 60 mpg | 25.51 km/L | 21.24 km/L |
| 80 mpg | 34.01 km/L | 28.32 km/L |
| 100 mpg | 42.51 km/L | 35.40 km/L |
Typical km/L figures from Asian markets in mpg
Approximate ranges of the official or claimed ratings you will see in Japanese and Indian listings, converted to US mpg. Claimed test figures are usually higher than real-world results.
| Vehicle | Typical km/L | Equivalent US mpg |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese kei car (WLTC rating) | 20–27 km/L | 47–64 mpg |
| Compact hybrid hatchback (WLTC rating) | 28–36 km/L | 66–85 mpg |
| Indian compact hatchback (claimed) | 18–24 km/L | 42–56 mpg |
| Commuter motorcycle, 100–125 cc (claimed) | 50–70 km/L | 118–165 mpg |
| Scooter, 110–125 cc (claimed) | 40–55 km/L | 94–129 mpg |
How can you convert mpg to km/L in your head?
Halve the mpg figure, then take away 15% of that half: halving gives × 0.5, and removing 15% of it leaves × 0.425, about 0.03% below the exact factor. For 40 mpg: half is 20, minus 3 is 17 km/L, and the exact answer is 17.01 km/L. A rougher version is to divide by 2.35 in your head, or simply to call it “a bit under half”.
From km/L to L/100km
km/L and L/100km are both metric but inverted: L/100km = 100 ÷ km/L. So 12.5 km/L is 8 L/100km, and 20 km/L is 5 L/100km. For US mpg, that chain gives the familiar 235.215 ÷ mpg. If you need the reverse of this page, the L/100km to mpg converter goes back to miles per gallon.
Common mistakes with mpg and km/L
- Reading “mileage” as miles. In India and much of Asia, a bike with a mileage of 60 does 60 km per liter, not 60 miles per gallon. That is about 141 US mpg.
- Mixing gallons. Convert UK mpg with the imperial factor, or you will overstate km/L by about 20%.
- Comparing claimed and real figures. Certified test values are best-case numbers. For a fair comparison, use real-world figures for both vehicles, or official figures for both.
- Dividing instead of multiplying. The km/L number is always smaller than the US mpg number. If 30 mpg turns into 70, you divided by the factor.
For trip planning in these markets, the km/h to mph converter helps with local speed limits.
Sources and further reading
The standards and references behind the numbers on this page. Links open in a new tab.
Standards and official sources
Further reading
- Fuel economy in automobilesWikipedia
MPG to km/L FAQs
Short, exact answers to what people ask most.
What is 30 mpg in km/L?
30 US mpg is 12.75 km/L. If it is 30 UK mpg, it is 10.62 km/L.
How many km/L is 1 mpg?
One US mpg equals 0.425144 km/L, and one UK mpg equals 0.354006 km/L.
What is 20 km/L in mpg?
20 km/L is 47.04 US mpg. Divide by 0.425144, or multiply by 2.3521.
What is the formula for mpg to km/L?
km/L = US mpg × 0.425144. The factor is 1.609344 km per mile divided by 3.785411784 liters per US gallon.
Is km/L the same as kmpl?
Yes. kmpl is the informal abbreviation of kilometers per liter, common in Indian car and motorcycle ads. It is also what people there mean by mileage.
Is a higher km/L better?
Yes. Like mpg, km/L is distance per unit of fuel, so a higher figure means better fuel economy. It is the opposite of L/100km, where lower is better.
What is 25 mpg in km/L?
25 US mpg is 10.63 km/L; if it is 25 UK mpg, it is 8.85 km/L.
What is 15 km/L in mpg?
15 km/L equals 35.28 US mpg or 42.37 UK mpg.
What is 50 mpg in km/L?
50 US mpg is 21.26 km/L, and 50 UK mpg is 17.70 km/L.
How do I convert UK mpg to km/L?
Multiply UK mpg by 0.354006, because an imperial gallon holds 4.54609 L. For example, 40 UK mpg is 14.16 km/L.
Related conversions
Unit definitions from NIST SP 811 (US gallon = 3.785411784 L), the UK Weights and Measures Act 1985 (imperial gallon = 4.54609 L) and the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement (mile = 1,609.344 m); market ratings are typical published ranges from the US EPA, Japan's WLTC-mode figures, India's ARAI certification and Brazil's INMETRO labeling program. Last updated . How we verify our numbers.