Convert Liters per 100 km to Kilometers per Liter
Liters per 100 km to kilometers per liter is the conversion between two metric ways of describing the same fuel economy. They run in opposite directions: liters per 100 km measures fuel used per distance, while km/L measures distance per fuel, so a lower L/100km is better economy and turns into a bigger km/L. You divide instead of multiply, and the relationship is an exact inverse: km/L = 100 ÷ (L/100km).
Liters per 100 km to Kilometers per liter conversion table
| Liters per 100 km (L/100km) | Kilometers per liter (km/L) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 100 |
| 2 | 50 |
| 3 | 33.333333 |
| 5 | 20 |
| 10 | 10 |
| 20 | 5 |
| 50 | 2 |
| 100 | 1 |
| 500 | 0.2 |
| 1,000 | 0.1 |
The formula
Liters per 100 km and kilometers per liter describe the same economy from opposite ends — one is fuel per distance, the other distance per fuel — so you divide rather than multiply. To convert, divide 100 by the L/100km figure:
km/L = 100 ÷ (L/100km)
This 100 ÷ x relationship is an exact inverse, not a fudged constant: the two units are true opposites of each other. Because it's a division, a smaller L/100km gives a larger km/L. Less fuel used per 100 km means more kilometers from every liter.
A worked example
Say a car is rated at 8 L/100km and you want it in km/L:
100 ÷ 8 = 12.5 km/L
So 8 L/100km is exactly 12.5 km/L — a clean, exact result. A modest 8 on one side becomes 12.5 on the other, because the two scales run opposite each other.
Why it's an approximation
The relationship itself is exact — dividing 100 by the L/100km figure is always exactly right, and for round values like 8 → 12.5 the answer comes out clean. The catch is that most real figures give a decimal that doesn't stop neatly, so you round it for everyday use. In other words, the rule 100 ÷ x is exact; only the decimal you write down is rounded.
When you'll use it
Comparing a car quoted in L/100km against one quoted in km/L, reading fuel-economy figures across markets that favor one metric style over the other, or double-checking a spec sheet that mixes the two.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I divide instead of multiply?
Because the two measures are exact opposites. Liters per 100 km counts fuel used over a fixed distance, while kilometers per liter counts distance covered per fixed fuel. One is the flip of the other, so km/L = 100 ÷ (L/100km). A small L/100km gives a big km/L.
Is the liters-per-100km to km/L conversion exact?
The relationship itself — 100 divided by the L/100km figure — is exactly true, not an approximation. It's just that most values give a decimal that you round for everyday use. Clean numbers stay clean: 8 L/100km is exactly 12.5 km/L.
Does a lower liters-per-100km number mean better or worse economy?
Lower is better. Using fewer liters to cover 100 km means the car sips less fuel, so 6 L/100km beats 9 L/100km. In km/L it's the reverse — higher is better — which is why the two flip into each other.