Kilometers per liter fuel economy unit.
Kilometers per liter to Liters per 100 kilometers Converter — km/L to L/100 km
Convert Kilometers per liter (km/L) to Liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km) using the exact conversion factor (1 kilometers per liter = 100 liters per 100 kilometers). See the formula, worked examples, conversion table, unit comparison, history, and common uses.
Kilometers per liter to Liters per 100 kilometers converter
Converter
Fuel Economy Converter
Convert MPG, km/L, L/100 km, and related transport fuel economy units.
Context values
Some unit families need one extra value for a physically accurate result.
Liters per 100 kilometers fuel economy unit.
Normalize fuel economy to distance per volume, inverting consumption units when needed.
Fuel economy supports both distance-per-volume and volume-per-distance units.
Reserved above the conversion cards and below the converter.
About Converting Kilometers per liter to Liters per 100 kilometers
Kilometers per liter and Liters per 100 kilometers are two of the ways the world measures fuel efficiency, and converting between them is essential for comparing a US car's window-sticker rating to a European or Asian one. Kilometers per liter is typically associated with used in much of Asia and parts of Europe and Latin America for fuel-economy reporting, while Liters per 100 kilometers is typically associated with standard fuel-economy unit across most of Europe, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere.
Formula
Fuel economy formulas invert between distance-per-volume and volume-per-distance units as needed.
Efficiency-style units (like mpg or km/L) and consumption-style units (like L/100 km) measure the same underlying thing from opposite directions, so converting between the two families requires a reciprocal, not just a multiplication factor.
Simple example
1 km/L × 1e+14 = 100 L/100 km
1 kilometers per liter = 100 liters per 100 kilometers.
Real-world example
30 km/L × 1e+14 = 3.333333333 L/100 km
30 kilometers per liter = 3.333333333 liters per 100 kilometers.
Conversion table
| Kilometers per liter (km/L) | Liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km) |
|---|---|
| 10 km/L | 10 L/100 km |
| 20 km/L | 5 L/100 km |
| 30 km/L | 3.333333333 L/100 km |
| 40 km/L | 2.5 L/100 km |
| 50 km/L | 2 L/100 km |
| 60 km/L | 1.666666667 L/100 km |
Reverse conversion: Liters per 100 kilometers to Kilometers per liter
100 L/100 km × 1e-14 = 1 km/L
100 liters per 100 kilometers = 1 kilometers per liter.
Fuel economy formulas invert between distance-per-volume and volume-per-distance units as needed.
For a page dedicated to this direction, see Liters per 100 kilometers to Kilometers per liter.
Kilometers per liter vs. Liters per 100 kilometers
| Aspect | Kilometers per liter | Liters per 100 kilometers |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Metric unit | Metric unit |
| Typical use | Vehicle fuel-economy specifications outside the US and much of Europe | Official vehicle fuel-consumption labeling across most of the world outside the US |
| Where it's used | Used in much of Asia and parts of Europe and Latin America for fuel-economy reporting | Standard fuel-economy unit across most of Europe, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere |
Understanding the Kilometers per liter
Kilometers per liter (km/L) measures fuel economy. Kilometers per liter measures distance traveled per liter of fuel — higher values mean better efficiency, the metric-world counterpart to mpg. It is classified as a Metric unit.
Where it's used: Used in much of Asia and parts of Europe and Latin America for fuel-economy reporting
Uses of the Kilometers per liter today
- Vehicle fuel-economy specifications outside the US and much of Europe
- Motorcycle and small-vehicle efficiency ratings (common in Asian markets)
History of the Kilometers per liter
Km/L is a straightforward metric analog to mpg, following naturally once countries adopted the metric system for both distance and volume; it remains common in markets (e.g. Japan, India, Southeast Asia) where consumers are used to thinking in an 'efficiency' (distance-per-volume) framing rather than 'consumption' (volume-per-distance).
Historical origin. Kilometers per liter was not the invention of a single named person; it developed through the process described above.
Understanding the Liters per 100 kilometers
Liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km) measures fuel consumption. Liters per 100 kilometers measures fuel consumed to travel 100 km — lower values mean better efficiency, the reverse convention from mpg/km-per-L. It is classified as a Metric unit.
Where it's used: Standard fuel-economy unit across most of Europe, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere
Uses of the Liters per 100 kilometers today
- Official vehicle fuel-consumption labeling across most of the world outside the US
- European and Canadian vehicle efficiency standards and taxation
History of the Liters per 100 kilometers
L/100km inverts the 'efficiency' framing of mpg/km-per-L into a 'consumption' framing (how much fuel is used for a fixed distance), which many transport agencies consider more intuitive for comparing costs and emissions — it became the standard EU fuel-labeling metric as part of vehicle emissions and efficiency regulations from the late 20th century onward.
Historical origin. Liters per 100 kilometers was not the invention of a single named person; it developed through the process described above.
Kilometers per liter — sources
- NIST Special Publication 811 — General reference for metric unit conventions.
Liters per 100 kilometers — sources
- European Commission — Fuel Economy Labelling Directive — Basis for L/100km as the standard EU fuel-consumption metric.
Reserved between the cards and the FAQ so the page stays balanced.
Frequently asked questions
How many liters per 100 kilometers are in 1 kilometers per liter?
1 kilometers per liter equals 100 liters per 100 kilometers, using the exact defined conversion factor rather than an estimate.
How do I convert kilometers per liter to liters per 100 kilometers?
Fuel economy units sometimes need inversion rather than simple multiplication — the converter above and the formula section handle this automatically.
How do I convert liters per 100 kilometers back to kilometers per liter?
Use the reverse factor: 1 liters per 100 kilometers equals 100 kilometers per liter. You can also use the swap control in the converter above to flip the direction instantly.
What is a kilometers per liter?
Kilometers per liter (km/L) measures fuel economy. Kilometers per liter measures distance traveled per liter of fuel — higher values mean better efficiency, the metric-world counterpart to mpg. It is classified as a Metric unit.
What is a liters per 100 kilometers?
Liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km) measures fuel consumption. Liters per 100 kilometers measures fuel consumed to travel 100 km — lower values mean better efficiency, the reverse convention from mpg/km-per-L. It is classified as a Metric unit.
Is the kilometers per liter to liters per 100 kilometers conversion exact?
Yes. Both kilometers per liter and liters per 100 kilometers are defined by fixed standards rather than physical artifacts, so the factor of 1e+14 used above is exact to as many digits as you choose to display.
Where is the kilometers per liter still used today?
Used in much of Asia and parts of Europe and Latin America for fuel-economy reporting