Gallons to Tons Calculator — Metric, Short & Long Tons
Convert US or imperial gallons of water, gasoline, diesel, crude oil, ethanol, milk or vegetable oil into metric tons, short tons (US) and long tons (UK). The weight depends on the liquid selected.
gallons
Gallon type
Liquid
1 metric ton = 1000 kg
- 1
Volume in litres
264 × 3.785412 = 999.3487 - 2
Mass in kilograms
999.3487 × 1 kg/L = 999.3487 - 3
Metric tons
999.3487 ÷ 1000 = 0.9993
How does this calculator work?
Weight = gallons × litres-per-gallon × density (kg/L). For water: 264.2 US gallons = 1 metric ton. Divide kg by 1000 for metric tons, 907.18 for short tons (US), or 1016.05 for long tons (UK). Density varies by liquid — select the type for an accurate result.
Formula
How this is calculated
Gallons measure volume; tons measure mass. The link between them is density: mass = volume × density. One US gallon equals exactly 3.785411784 litres; one imperial gallon equals exactly 4.54609 litres. Multiplying by the liquid density (in kg/L) gives kilograms, which then convert to metric tons (÷1000), short tons (÷907.18, the US "ton" of 2000 lb), or long tons (÷1016.05, the UK "ton" of 2240 lb).
For water at 20 °C the density is approximately 1.000 kg/L, so 1 US gallon of water weighs about 3.785 kg; it takes approximately 264.2 US gallons to make 1 metric ton. Denser liquids like crude oil (≈0.870 kg/L) or milk (≈1.030 kg/L) shift the result proportionally. Gasoline is notably lighter (≈0.737 kg/L), so it takes more gallons to reach a ton compared with water.
Densities listed are approximate room-temperature values. Real-world densities vary with temperature, grade, and composition — crude oil in particular ranges from about 0.800 to 0.970 kg/L depending on its API gravity. For shipping or commercial transactions always use certified density figures from the product data sheet.
Frequently asked questions
1 metric ton = 1000 kg. Since 1 US gallon of water weighs approximately 3.785 kg, it takes about 264.2 US gallons to equal 1 metric ton. For imperial gallons (4.546 L each): about 220.0 imperial gallons.
A metric ton (tonne) = 1000 kg ≈ 2204.6 lb. A US short ton = 2000 lb = 907.18 kg. A UK long ton = 2240 lb = 1016.05 kg. In everyday US usage "ton" means short ton; in international trade "tonne" means metric ton. The long ton is largely archaic but still appears in UK shipping.
Using a density of 0.737 kg/L and US gallons (3.785 L each): 1 metric ton ÷ (0.737 × 3.785) ≈ 358 US gallons. Gasoline density varies by grade and temperature (typically 0.720–0.760 kg/L), so this is an approximation.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Gallons to Tons Calculator — Metric, Short & Long Tons [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/gallon-to-tons-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Gallons to Tons Calculator — Metric, Short & Long Tons." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/gallon-to-tons-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Gallons to Tons Calculator — Metric, Short & Long Tons," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/gallon-to-tons-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_gallon_to_tons_calculator, title = {Gallons to Tons Calculator — Metric, Short & Long Tons}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/gallon-to-tons-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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