High fuel prices shouldn’t be that bad

Diesel and petrol are currently more expensive than they have ever been in recent history, but according to the ADAC, this does not hit German drivers as badly as many fear. With a sample calculation, the car experts show that the current price increase affects consumers comparatively little. And there is another reason for hope.

In the course of the war in Ukraine, German consumers are feeling the first consequences. Gasoline and diesel prices and other fuels have increased over the past few days increased faster than ever before. An average of 2.20 euros per liter is currently being charged for petrol (Super E10), diesel now costs even more at over 2.30 euros per liter (as of March 14, 2022).

ADAC: That’s how small the share of petrol and diesel in the total costs is

But the car experts have calculated that the extreme price jumps – also as a result of the war between Russia and Ukraine – for motorists in Germany surprisingly low additional burden mean. This applies at least in comparison with the total costs per kilometer driven, which the ADAC regularly collects.

Accordingly, the average kilometer with a new petrol engine, compact class, consumption 5.5 liters, which is driven for four years with an annual mileage of 12,000 km currently costs the driver around 67.2 cents per kilometer. With the price of petrol from a year ago, the result was 63.1 cents per kilometer. Despite the high price of petrol, the total costs only increase by around 6 percent (source: dpa via Northern Bavaria).

The situation is similar for diesel: A car in the lower middle class with 20,000 km per year and a consumption of 4.5 liters per 100 km is currently the case 69.1 cents per km. Last year it was 64.5 cents.

The reason for the relatively small differences is that other costs have a greater impact on the total costs than the fuel price. For example, fixed costs for insurance are included. But the loss in value is particularly noticeable, which is particularly high for new cars.

When fuel prices are high, switching to an electric car can be worthwhile. What else speaks for it:

Hope for consumers: fuel prices remain high, but do not continue to rise

If you can’t leave the car at the moment, you will only be able to enjoy it in part. Because nobody in Germany refuels as cheaply as last year. However, the ADAC states: The extreme price increase of the past week seems to be leveling off at the high level. If not directly down again, at least it doesn’t go up any further.