Fuel Consumption & Cost
CalculatorsEstimate diesel consumption and fuel cost for a job, a day, or a full year.
Not sure what to check first? Hand the result to the assistant.
About this tool
This calculator estimates a diesel machine's fuel burn and running cost from engine power, load factor, fuel price, and annual hours. Burn equals power in kW times the load factor times a specific fuel consumption (SFC) figure, which you choose to match your engine.
Set the SFC to match the engine: modern efficient engines run near 0.22 L/kWh, a typical figure is around 0.25, and older or heavily loaded engines near 0.28. Load factor is the average fraction of full power over the duty cycle, often 50 to 70 percent. Add a fuel tank size to see how long a full tank lasts.
It is a planning estimate. Real consumption varies with engine, duty cycle, idling, and condition.
Frequently asked questions
What load factor should I use?
The average fraction of rated power over a typical shift. Light grading might be 40 to 50 percent; heavy digging or dozing 60 to 80 percent.
What is specific fuel consumption (SFC) for a diesel engine?
Specific fuel consumption, the litres of diesel burned per kWh of work. Diesel runs roughly 200 to 250 g/kWh, about 0.24 to 0.30 L/kWh; the presets cover that range.
How do I convert horsepower to kW?
Either, with the matching unit selected (1 hp is 0.7457 kW). Use the engine's net power figure.
How accurate is the cost estimate?
It is an estimate. Idling, attachments, and engine condition move it, so use it for budgeting and comparison rather than exact billing.
How much diesel does a heavy machine burn per hour?
Burn equals engine kW times load factor times SFC. A 100 kW machine at 60 percent load and 0.25 L/kWh burns about 15 litres (4 US gallons) per hour. The calculator does this math and accepts fuel price per litre or per gallon.