Metric Tons to Kilograms
A metric ton, or tonne, is exactly 1,000 kilograms, so multiply tons by 1,000 to get kilograms: 2.4 t is 2,400 kg and 0.75 t is 750 kg. Enter a tonnage below to convert it.
1 metric ton = 1,000 kilograms
1 t = 1,000 kg · multiply by 1,000
Three different tons
The word ton covers three units, and this page uses the metric one. The tonne (symbol t) is 1,000 kg and is used for freight, crops, steel and carbon emissions nearly everywhere. The US short ton is 2,000 lb, which is 907.18474 kg, and the British long ton is 2,240 lb, or 1,016.0469088 kg. The metric tonne sits between them, about 10% heavier than a short ton and 1.6% lighter than a long ton.
In American news a ton almost always means a short ton, so 100 tons of cargo in a US report is about 90,700 kg, not 100,000 kg. International shipping, mining and climate statistics use metric tonnes, often written tonnes or t to avoid that ambiguity.
Metric tons to kilograms conversion table
Rounded to six significant digits. Change any value in the converter above for an exact figure.
| Metric tons (t) | Kilograms (kg) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1,000 |
| 2 | 2,000 |
| 3 | 3,000 |
| 4 | 4,000 |
| 5 | 5,000 |
| 6 | 6,000 |
| 7 | 7,000 |
| 8 | 8,000 |
| 9 | 9,000 |
| 10 | 10,000 |
| 12 | 12,000 |
| 15 | 15,000 |
| 20 | 20,000 |
| 25 | 25,000 |
| 30 | 30,000 |
| 40 | 40,000 |
| 50 | 50,000 |
| 60 | 60,000 |
| 70 | 70,000 |
| 75 | 75,000 |
| 80 | 80,000 |
| 90 | 90,000 |
| 100 | 100,000 |
| Kilograms (kg) | Metric tons (t) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.001 |
| 2 | 0.002 |
| 3 | 0.003 |
| 4 | 0.004 |
| 5 | 0.005 |
| 6 | 0.006 |
| 7 | 0.007 |
| 8 | 0.008 |
| 9 | 0.009 |
| 10 | 0.01 |
| 12 | 0.012 |
| 15 | 0.015 |
| 20 | 0.02 |
| 25 | 0.025 |
| 30 | 0.03 |
| 40 | 0.04 |
| 50 | 0.05 |
| 60 | 0.06 |
| 70 | 0.07 |
| 75 | 0.075 |
| 80 | 0.08 |
| 90 | 0.09 |
| 100 | 0.1 |
How to convert metric tons to kilograms
kg = t × 1,000
1 t = 1,000 kg
25 t × 1,000 = 25,000 kg
- Start with the value in metric tons.
- Multiply it by 1,000.
- Round the result to the precision the job needs: whole numbers for everyday use, more decimals for engineering or recipes.
What a tonne looks like
A typical midsize car weighs about 1.5 t, or 1,500 kg; a full-size pickup is closer to 2.5 t. An adult African elephant is around 6 t, and a cubic meter of water is almost exactly one tonne, since a liter of water is about 1 kg. Road signs in the UK and Europe give weight limits in tonnes, such as a 7.5 t limit on a bridge or a residential street.
Trucking shows the scale clearly. A standard five-axle articulated truck in the EU may weigh up to 40 t gross, which is 40,000 kg, while the US federal limit on interstates is 80,000 lb, about 36.3 t.
Avoiding the classic slips
Because the factor is 1,000, the mistakes are about decimals and which ton you have. 0.08 t is 80 kg, not 800 kg. If the source is American and does not say metric, convert as a short ton: 1 short ton is 907.2 kg. The opposite slip happens with shipping documents, where MT means metric ton, not megaton.
For smaller masses, step down with kilograms to grams, or convert tons to pounds and other units in the unit converter.
Frequently asked questions
- How many kilograms are in 3.5 tonnes?
- 3.5 t is 3,500 kg.
- Is a tonne the same as a ton?
- Only if the ton is metric. A US short ton is 907.18 kg and a UK long ton is 1,016.05 kg; a tonne is exactly 1,000 kg.
- How many kg is a US short ton?
- A short ton of 2,000 lb is 907.18474 kg.
- What does MT mean on a bill of lading?
- In freight paperwork MT usually stands for metric ton, 1,000 kg. Check the document's unit key, since some carriers write it as t or tonne.
- How much does a tonne of water take up?
- About one cubic meter, which is 1,000 liters.