Fuel prices on record course
Petrol is becoming more and more expensive. Photo: Carsten Koall / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Refueling is getting more and more expensive. After the lows in 2020, prices are rapidly approaching their all-time highs from 2012, driven by the oil price.
The fuel prices keep rising and make the drive to the gas station increasingly painful. In the meantime, Diesel and Super E10 have reached nine-year highs, as the ADAC announced. Only in the record year 2012 was fuel a few cents more expensive, but the gaps are shrinking noticeably.
Diesel in particular increased: On Tuesday, according to ADAC, fuel cost 1.526 euros per liter on a national daily average – 4.8 cents more than a week ago. This means that diesel is still 2.8 cents short of the all-time high from August 2012. E10 also became significantly more expensive. On Tuesday it was 1.647 euros per liter, 3.8 cents more expensive than a week ago. This means that 6.2 cents are missing from the all-time high from September 2012.
Crude oil is a price driver
According to the ADAC and the Mineralölwirtschaftsverband (MWV), the most important drivers are crude oil prices, which were recently in the region of multi-year highs. In addition, the stronger dollar is noticeable as crude oil is settled in the US currency. In the case of diesel, there is also the fact that the rising demand for heating oil will also drive the price up in autumn.
In addition, both associations refer to the carbon dioxide price of 25 euros per ton, which has been paid since the beginning of the year. This makes fuel more expensive – depending on the type and admixture of biofuel – by around 6 to 8 cents per liter. A spokesman for the MWV emphasized that the petroleum industry was no longer earning money from the increased prices at the petrol pumps.
The development is particularly drastic if you compare it with the previous year. At that time, oil and fuel prices had reached lows due to the Corona crisis before the trend reversal in fuel prices came at the beginning of November 2020. Since then, diesel has risen by around 50 cents and E10 by around 47 cents.
ADAC traffic president Gerhard Hillebrand appealed to the future governing parties “to refrain from any thought games about a faster increase in the CO2 price”. It is currently planned to increase it to 55 euros per ton by 2025. That would make fuel a further 7 to 9 cents more expensive, depending on the type and organic content.
Measures required by the future government
Hillebrand emphasized that people with lower incomes should also be able to stay mobile. The costs reached a limit for many people. At the same time, there was a lack of cheap alternatives, especially in rural areas. Hillebrand also called for an increase in the flat-rate fee. It has long since ceased to cover the actual car costs.
The outgoing government is not expected to take any further measures against rising energy prices. Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said he could not announce such measures that would affect the next government. Reliefs such as an increase in the commuter allowance have already been decided. Since the beginning of the year, this has been 35 cents per kilometer from the 21st kilometer. In 2024 it should rise to 38 cents.
Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer asked the future government to take countermeasures if fuel prices were too high. “Around two thirds of the gasoline price are influenced by the state with taxes and duties,” said the CSU politician of “Bild”. “The state must therefore intervene at the latest at a price of 1.99 euros per liter and, in return, lower taxes.”
That is still a long way off – at least when it comes to the daily averages for E10. Rising oil prices are only noticeable at the petrol station in a muted manner. According to data from the MWV, most of the fuel price is due to taxes and charges: With premium gasoline, the energy tax alone is a good 65 cents per liter. Added to this are VAT – around 26 cents at the current price level – and the CO2 price.