How to Calculate Average Car Fuel Consumption?
2 Answers
Car fuel consumption is calculated by dividing the amount of fuel consumed by the distance traveled in kilometers. Related Information: 1. Constant Speed Fuel Consumption: Constant speed fuel consumption refers to the fuel economy indicator when a car is driving at a constant speed on a good road surface. Since constant speed driving is a basic operating condition for cars on highways, and this type of fuel consumption is easy to measure, it is widely adopted. For example, France and Germany use the constant speed fuel consumption at 90Km/h and 120Km/h as the main evaluation indicators for fuel economy. 2. Road Cycle Fuel Consumption: Road cycle fuel consumption is a fuel economy indicator measured when a car is driven in repeated cycles according to specified speeds and time protocols on the road, also known as multi-condition road cycle fuel consumption. The speed and time protocols specify various driving conditions included in each cycle, as well as the shifting times, braking and stopping times, driving speeds, acceleration, and braking deceleration values for each cycle.
I usually calculate fuel consumption in a simple and practical way. Every time I fill up the tank, I note down the current mileage. When I refuel next time, I check how many kilometers I’ve driven. For example, if the odometer showed 5,000 km at the last refueling and the fuel light came on at 5,300 km this time, then I divide the 300 km by the amount of fuel added during the second refueling. Last week, I added 30 liters of fuel after driving 450 km, so the fuel consumption is roughly 30 liters/450 km multiplied by 100, which comes out to 6.7 liters per 100 km. This month, I specifically tested the difference between city commuting and highway driving. Surprisingly, driving on the highway with the AC on was more fuel-efficient than stop-and-go city traffic. I recommend testing at least two or three full tanks for accuracy—keeping a small notebook has been really helpful. Now, whenever I see the average fuel consumption displayed on the dashboard, I verify it with my actual data, and the margin of error is usually within 0.5 liters.
