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Convert Kilometers per Liter to Liters per Mile - Fuel Economy Converter

This converter transforms fuel economy expressed as kilometers per liter (km/L) into liters per mile (L/mi). It is useful when comparing vehicles or fuel usage across metric and imperial distance units without changing the underlying fuel volume unit (liters).

The conversion is exact using the international statute mile definition (1 mile = 1.609344 kilometers). Results are best interpreted with awareness of measurement uncertainty (odometer rounding, tank fill accuracy, and testing vs real-world driving).

Updated Nov 20, 2025

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Methodology

We use the international statute mile (1 mi = 1.609344 km) as defined by national measurement authorities and convert by inverting km per liter to get liters per kilometer, then scaling to liters per mile.

This approach is purely mathematical and deterministic. For real-world fuel-economy assessment, consult laboratory or agency test procedures (for example, EPA or DOE guidance) because observed values can differ from steady-state or laboratory measurements due to driving conditions and instrumentation limits.

Worked examples

Example 1: 15.0 km/L → L/mi = 1.609344 ÷ 15.0 = 0.1072896 L/mi (≈ 0.1073 L/mi).

Example 2: 8.0 km/L → L/mi = 1.609344 ÷ 8.0 = 0.201168 L/mi (≈ 0.2012 L/mi).

Further resources

Expert Q&A

What is the exact relationship between km/L and L/mi?

The exact relationship is L/mi = 1.609344 ÷ (km/L). The factor 1.609344 is the exact number of kilometers in an international statute mile.

Why use 1.609344 rather than an approximate mile value?

1.609344 km per mile is the internationally accepted exact definition used by national measurement laboratories. Using the exact value avoids small systematic errors when comparing fuel economy across unit systems.

How should I round results for reporting?

Round according to your use case: two to four significant digits are common for consumer reporting (e.g., 0.1073 L/mi). For engineering or regulatory submissions follow the stated precision in the test method (refer to agency guidance such as DOE/EPA).

How does instrument and measurement error affect conversions?

The conversion itself is exact, but input uncertainty (odometer error, fuel fill accuracy, temperature effects on volume) propagates to the output. For typical vehicle tank-filling methods, expect real-world uncertainty of 1–3% unless using precision test equipment.

How do I convert km/L to other common fuel-economy units (for example, L/100km or mpg)?

To convert to L/100km: L/100km = 100 ÷ (km/L). To convert to miles per gallon, convert km/L to mi/L by multiplying km/L by 0.62137119223733, then multiply mi/L by the number of liters per gallon (use the correct gallon definition for US or imperial).

Sources & citations