What is fuel consumption?

When we travel by land using a fuel-powered vehicle, we either spend too much on fuel or don't really care about it (talk about life goals). However, for most of us who want to budget our travels, knowing our vehicle's fuel or gas consumption from a recent long trip can help us plan our future rides better.

Fuel consumption is a measure of how efficiently a vehicle uses up fuel, comparable to fuel economy (or fuel efficiency). Fuel economy quantifies a car's efficiency by how far a vehicle travels using a particular amount of fuel, i.e., in miles per gallon (MPG) or kilometers per liter (kmpl).

On the other hand, fuel consumption tells us how much fuel a vehicle burns fuel at a certain distance, e.g., in liters per kilometer (L/km) or liters per 100 kilometers (L/100km).

How to calculate the fuel consumption of a vehicle

Let's say we want to know a vehicle's fuel consumption that consumes two full tanks, in this case, 100 liters, to travel a total distance of 1320 km from France to Italy with some detours. To find the fuel consumption of this vehicle, we can substitute our known parameters in this fuel consumption formula to have:

Fuel Consumption Formula:

\[ \text{Fuel consumption} = \frac{\text{Distance traveled}}{\text{Fuel used}} \]

Given:

Distance traveled = 1320 km
Fuel used = 100 L

Substituting the values:

\[ \text{Fuel consumption} = \frac{1320 \, \text{km}}{100 \, \text{L}} = 0.07576 \, \text{L/km} \]

From our calculation, we found that the vehicle consumes 0.07576 liters of fuel per kilometer. For a better perspective, we can convert this to the more typical unit of liters per 100 kilometers:

Convert to Liters per 100 km:

\[ \text{Fuel consumption} = 0.07576 \, \frac{\text{L}}{\text{km}} \times \frac{100 \, \text{km}}{100 \, \text{km}} = 7.576 \, \text{L/100 km} \]

Now that is easier to imagine. 🙂

Example

Understanding Fuel Cost Calculations

Fuel cost calculations are essential for estimating travel expenses, managing fuel efficiency, and optimizing trips. These calculations are particularly useful for individuals, businesses, and organizations managing transportation costs and fuel consumption.

The key concepts of fuel cost calculations include:

Fuel Cost for a Trip: This involves calculating the total fuel cost for a given distance based on fuel efficiency and fuel price.
Converting Fuel Efficiency: Converting fuel efficiency from miles per gallon (mpg) to liters per 100 kilometers (L/100km) or vice versa.
Fuel Cost for Multiple Trips: Calculating total fuel cost for multiple trips with varying distances and fuel prices.

Calculating Fuel Cost for a Trip

To calculate the fuel cost for a trip:

Divide the total distance by the vehicle’s fuel efficiency (miles per gallon or liters per kilometer).
Multiply the result by the fuel price.

Example: If the trip is 200 miles, fuel efficiency is 25 mpg, and fuel price is $3 per gallon: $ \frac{200}{25} \times 3 = 24 $ dollars.

Converting Fuel Efficiency

To convert fuel efficiency from miles per gallon to liters per 100 kilometers:

Multiply miles per gallon by 0.4251 to convert to liters per 100 kilometers.

Example: 25 mpg = $ 25 \times 0.4251 = 10.63 $ liters per 100 km.

Fuel Cost for Multiple Trips

To calculate fuel cost for multiple trips:

Calculate the fuel cost for each trip individually.
Add up the costs for all trips to find the total fuel cost.

Example: Trip 1: 100 miles, Trip 2: 150 miles, both with a fuel efficiency of 25 mpg, and fuel price of $3 per gallon: Trip 1: $ \frac{100}{25} \times 3 = 12 $ dollars, Trip 2: $ \frac{150}{25} \times 3 = 18 $ dollars. Total: $ 12 + 18 = 30 $ dollars.

Fuel Cost for Fueling a Tank

To calculate the cost to fill up a vehicle’s fuel tank:

Multiply the tank capacity by the current fuel price.

Example: If the tank capacity is 15 gallons and fuel price is $3 per gallon: $ 15 \times 3 = 45 $ dollars.

Fuel Cost for Long-Distance Travel

For long-distance travel, consider variations in fuel efficiency and fuel prices across different regions:

Calculate the fuel cost based on distance and fuel efficiency, as in previous examples.
Factor in fuel price variations for different regions.

Example: If traveling 1000 miles, with a fuel efficiency of 20 mpg and fuel price of $3 per gallon: $ \frac{1000}{20} \times 3 = 150 $ dollars.

Fuel Cost Calculation Examples Table
Calculation Type	Description	Steps to Calculate	Example
Calculating Fuel Cost for a Trip	Calculate the total fuel cost for a trip based on distance and fuel efficiency.	Divide the total distance by the vehicle's fuel efficiency (miles per gallon or liters per kilometer). Multiply the result by the fuel price.	If the trip is 200 miles, fuel efficiency is 25 mpg, and fuel price is $3 per gallon: $ \frac{200}{25} \times 3 = 24 $ dollars.
Converting Fuel Efficiency	Convert fuel efficiency from miles per gallon to liters per 100 kilometers.	Multiply miles per gallon by 0.4251 to convert to liters per 100 kilometers.	25 mpg = $ 25 \times 0.4251 = 10.63 $ liters per 100 km.
Calculating Total Fuel Cost for Multiple Trips	Calculate the total fuel cost for multiple trips with different distances.	Calculate the fuel cost for each trip using the method above. Add the fuel costs for all trips.	Trip 1: 100 miles, Trip 2: 150 miles, both with a fuel efficiency of 25 mpg, and fuel price of $3 per gallon: Trip 1: $ \frac{100}{25} \times 3 = 12 $ dollars, Trip 2: $ \frac{150}{25} \times 3 = 18 $ dollars. Total: $ 12 + 18 = 30 $ dollars.
Fuel Cost for Fueling a Tank	Calculate the cost to fill up a vehicle's fuel tank.	Multiply the tank capacity by the current fuel price.	If the tank capacity is 15 gallons and fuel price is $3 per gallon: $ 15 \times 3 = 45 $ dollars.
Fuel Cost for Long-Distance Travel	Estimate the fuel cost for long-distance travel across different fuel efficiency rates.	Calculate the fuel cost based on distance and fuel efficiency, as in previous examples. Account for variations in fuel price across different regions.	If traveling 1000 miles, with a fuel efficiency of 20 mpg and fuel price of $3 per gallon: $ \frac{1000}{20} \times 3 = 150 $ dollars.