Fuel Consumption for Simpson Desert, Canning Stock Route, Madigan Line, Cape York, Hay River, Lake Eyre Expeditions

Fuel consumption is spoken about in all pre expedition planning, or it ought to be, as one of the top priorities for the good planning of every expedition.

On most Global 4wd expeditions we find that our fellow travelers constantly compare the fuel consumption of their vehicle to other similar vehicles that are traveling with us.

Many have sought the advice of experts before they have left on their expedition but unfortunately, opinions are often as different as the actual fuel consumptions of the vehicles.

So, where do we go to get accurate fuel consumption figures for each make and model of 4wd vehicle for every type of driving by each individual driver?

The answer is quite simple, we cannot.

So what do we do in order to calculate how much fuel we will use to cross the Simpson Desert on say the French Track?

Firstly we must know the answers to the following questions:

1. What fuel consumption is recorded by the vehicle manufacturer?
2. What fuel consumption have we RECORDED around town?
3. What fuel consumption have we RECORDED on longer trips?
4. How old and how well serviced will the vehicle be when I undertake this expedition.
5. How heavily loaded will the vehicle be when we start the expedition?
6. What is the CURRENT condition of the sand that I will be driving over?

There may be other questions that need to be answered but these are the main ones.

So, if you have this information then average the fuel consumption then calculate that your vehicle will consume 33-50% more fuel when crossing the sand ridges of the Simpson Desert.

If your vehicle is very heavily loaded because you have actually taken that kitchen sink then your vehicle’s fuel consumption might be calculated at 50% more than average road driving.

After you have calculated what you should need to make that crossing then add an error margin of 33%. Not more just 33%.

This margin should take care of unusually soft sand due to warm weather, or a flash flood that forces you to turn back and return to your starting point.

As your vehicle uses fuel during the day, refuel at morning tea and lunch time as your vehicle’s fuel tanks are the safest places to carry fuel.

On one Madigan Line crossing a very heavily loaded Toyota Land Cruiser used 78 litres per 100 kilometers! This was due to very soft sand and the vehicle having to be driven in second low for several days.

The owner of the vehicle is a veteran of many Global 4wd expeditions so his margin of 33% meant that he made it into Birdsville with 10% of the extra fuel still left unused.

This means that if your trip is over a distance of say 470klms and your average road consumption is say 15 litres per 100 kilometers then add 30% to the 15 litres which is 20 litres in the sand.

If your vehicle is heavily loaded or the sand is soft then calculate at 50% more fuel which is 22.5 litres in the sand.

Our recommendation would be to carry 4.7 times the 22.5 = 106 litres. Then carry 30% more. So two heavy duty plastic or steel jerry cans will do the trick.

Check the distances for yourself and do not rely on the consumptions or distances above as they are merely examples.

There are other safety considerations for the Simpson Desert, Canning Stock Route, Madigan Line, Cape York, Hay River, Lake Eyre expeditions and these can be discussed at driver training sessions run by Global 4wd.

More trip information is included in this site and further information is being added all the time.

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Written by Ralph Martell an experienced outback traveler who has run expeditions to the outback for 17 years.