Miles per Liter (mi/L) - Unit Information & Conversion

Definition

Miles per Liter (mi/L) is a hybrid unit of fuel efficiency that measures the distance in miles a vehicle can travel using one liter of fuel. It combines a unit of distance from the Imperial/US customary system (mile) with a unit of volume from the metric system (liter). A higher mi/L value indicates better fuel efficiency.

History

Miles per Liter is not a standard official unit of fuel economy in any major region. Its use typically arises in specific contexts where there's a need to bridge measurements between systems, or informally. For instance, someone accustomed to thinking in miles (like in the US or UK) might measure fuel consumption in liters (common globally) and calculate efficiency in mi/L. It lacks the widespread regulatory or common usage seen with MPG (US), MPG (UK), L/100km, or km/L.

Common Uses

While uncommon, mi/L might be encountered in:

• Informal Comparisons: Used by individuals comparing vehicles or fuel usage when dealing with mixed units (e.g., driving distances in miles but purchasing fuel in liters).
• Specific Technical Analysis: Could appear in engineering or technical reports that specifically require bridging US/Imperial distance measurements with metric fuel volumes.
• Online Calculators/Converters: Often included as an option in online tools that convert between various fuel efficiency units.

Unit FAQs

Is a higher mi/L value better?

Yes, similar to MPG and km/L, a higher mi/L value signifies better fuel efficiency. It means the vehicle can cover more miles for each liter of fuel consumed.

How do I convert mi/L to km/L?

To convert Miles per Liter to Kilometers per Liter, multiply by the number of kilometers in a mile. km/L ≈ mi/L * 1.60934

How do I convert mi/L to L/100km?

To convert Miles per Liter to Liters per 100 kilometers (where lower is better), use the formula: L/100km ≈ 62.137 / mi/L (This is derived by first converting mi/L to km/L, then using L/100km = 100 / km/L)

How do I convert mi/L to MPG (US)?

To convert Miles per Liter to US Miles Per Gallon, multiply by the number of liters in a US gallon. MPG (US) ≈ mi/L * 3.78541

How do I convert mi/L to MPG (UK)?

To convert Miles per Liter to Imperial Miles Per Gallon (used in the UK), multiply by the number of liters in an Imperial gallon. MPG (UK) ≈ mi/L * 4.54609

Is mi/L the same as MPG?

No. MPG (Miles per Gallon) measures distance per gallon (either the US gallon or the larger UK Imperial gallon), whereas mi/L measures distance per liter. Since a gallon is significantly larger than a liter, MPG values will be much higher than mi/L values for the same vehicle efficiency.