How much fuel does 100km use?
A typical modern petrol car uses about 5 to 7 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers. The exact amount depends on the vehicle, driving style, and conditions.
What determines fuel use
Fuel consumption per 100 km is influenced by a mix of hardware, behavior, and environment. Understanding these factors helps explain why two similar cars can show different numbers in daily life.
- Vehicle type and engine size
- Fuel type (petrol, diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or electric energy use)
- Driving style (acceleration, cruising speed, braking habits)
- Terrain and road conditions (hills, traffic, urban vs. highway)
- Maintenance and tire pressure
- Vehicle load and roof equipment (box, racks)
- Aerodynamics and speed (higher speeds dramatically raise consumption)
In practice, these factors interact to push a vehicle’s real-world consumption above or below its official rating. Regular maintenance and mindful driving can shave off meaningful amounts over time.
Typical ranges by vehicle type
Below are approximate ranges to illustrate how much fuel different categories typically burn over 100 kilometers. Values assume normal driving conditions and a well-maintained vehicle.
- Small petrol or diesel cars: about 4–6 L/100km
- Compact to midsize petrol cars: about 5–7 L/100km
- Large petrol SUVs and light trucks: about 8–12 L/100km
- Hybrid (self-charging) vehicles: about 3–4 L/100km
- Plug-in hybrids (depending on electric use): about 2–6 L/100km when operating in hybrid mode
- Diesel cars (typical passenger models): about 4–6 L/100km
- Electric vehicles: energy use around 14–20 kWh/100km (not liters; measured in energy rather than liquid fuel)
Note: Electric vehicles are evaluated differently because they run on electricity rather than liquid fuel. When comparing you’ll often see kWh per 100 km for EVs rather than L/100km.
How to estimate your own consumption
To get a realistic sense of how much fuel your own vehicle uses per 100 km, try one of these practical approaches.
- Reset your trip computer or manual log at the start of a long, steady-drive segment.
- Record the distance traveled and the amount of fuel added at the next fill-up.
- Calculate your average consumption: (liters used / kilometers traveled) × 100.
- Repeat under different conditions (city vs. highway, heavy vs. light loads) to compare.
Consistent tracking helps you gauge whether your vehicle is performing as expected and where improvements can be made.
Tips to improve fuel efficiency
Small changes can yield noticeable gains over time. Consider these proven practices.
- Keep tires inflated to the recommended pressure and align wheels as needed.
- Schedule regular maintenance, including air filters and engine tune-ups.
- Drive smoothly: gentle acceleration, steady speeds, and reduced idling; use cruise control when appropriate.
- Reduce excess weight and minimize aero drag (roof racks off when not in use).
- Avoid short trips; warm engines are less efficient, so combine errands where possible.
Applying these habits can lower average fuel use by several percent to tens of percent, depending on current habits and vehicle type.
Summary
Fuel use per 100 kilometers varies widely and is not fixed for any vehicle. Modern cars typically sip around 5–7 L/100km, but hybrids, diesels, and efficient small cars can do better, while large SUVs and congested urban driving can push numbers higher. For electric vehicles, the metric shifts to energy consumption (kWh/100km). To know your own numbers, track real-world data from trips and maintain your vehicle. With mindful driving and regular upkeep, you can optimize efficiency and reduce fuel costs over time.
How much gas will I use for 100 km?
To work out how much fuel you will use in total, divide your distance by 100 (because we are looking at the fuel use every 100 km), so: 295 / 100 = 2.95 and then multiply it by your combustion, so by 8: 2.95 × 8 = 23.6 . Now you know that you will use 23.6 liters of fuel.
How much fuel is needed for 100 km?
For cars it is between about 6 litres per 100km for a small efficient car used in rural conditions up to about 20 litres per 100km for a large SUV used in city traffic. My suzuki 80 used about 2 litres per 100 km on average.
How do you calculate fuel per 100km?
The calculation is: litres / distance * 100 = l/100km. For example: 57 litres / 635 km * 100 = 8.98l/100km. If you know the price of fuel, then you can simply multiply the price per litre by the result and that gives you your cost per 100km.
How much fuel does an average car use per 100km?
One source recommends that good fuel efficiency is approximately 5-6L/100km for a small car, 7-8L/100km for a ute, and 8-9L/100km for an SUV.
