Diesel Variance Calculation
Last Updated: August 2026
Diesel variance is the gap between diesel you expected to burn and diesel you actually filled. It is how fleets spot leakage, theft, or bad mileage early.
Summary
Diesel variance = actual litres − expected litres (from km ÷ expected mileage). Investigate large positive variance.
Formula
Expected litres = Km run ÷ Expected km/l
Variance (litres) = Actual litres filled − Expected litres
Variance % = (Variance ÷ Expected litres) × 100
Example
Km = 2,000. Expected mileage = 4.0 km/l → expected litres = 500. Actual filled = 560. Variance = 60 litres (12%).
What to check when variance is high
- Wrong odometer entry
- Mixed slips across trucks
- Route change / heavy load
- Possible pilferage
- Short filling at pumps
See diesel management software.
Related product: Diesel management software
Frequently asked questions
What variance is acceptable? Set a threshold by route (e.g. investigate above 5–8%). Tune with your history.
Should variance be daily? Trip-wise or weekly is more stable than noisy daily spikes.