If you’re clocking up the miles driving for work in Europe, then every little helps in terms of cutting fuel costs.
I think we all tend to perceive that running our cars is getting costlier. But is it actually? And where’s the cheapest (and most expensive) litre of fuel in the EU? And finally, how does this stack up against the UK?
Cheapest and Most Expensive Fuel Prices in Europe
Looking just at the EU, recent fuel price statistics show that a single litre of unleaded petrol within the EU ranges from €1.29 (in Bulgaria) to €1.95 in Denmark.
In context, the UK’s average fuel price is currently £1.49 per litre (or around €1.75) putting the UK at the more expensive end of the scale.
Where’s fuel the most affordable?
Just looking at the simple price of fuel alone doesn’t tell you how affordable it is in the context of wages. The same iCompario data pull suggests the Luxembourg, despite its high petrol price tag, is the place within the EU where petrol is the most affordable in relation to wages.
But, if you’re driving around the EU as a UK wage earner…
Of course, if you’re clocking up your miles in the EU but your wage is a UK wage, you’re just going to want the lowest price. Depending on your route, it’s often worth fuelling up in the places it is most cost effective to do so. In other words, if you’re crossing the Belgium/Netherlands border, then fuelling up in the Belgium could save you money. A typical Peugeot 508 tank of fuel on the Belgian side of the border could be around 3.50 Euro cheaper.
It’s probably not sufficient to go out of your way too far though, but sensible refuelling plans on pre-planned routes may add up.
To Make REAL Driving Savings…
But if you want to make real driving savings when driving long distances for work, here are some practical tips:
- Drive conservatively. Driving at 70mph uses around 15% more fuel than driving at 50 mph and exceeding this uses even more fuel. Of course,you need to drive at safe speeds on motorways but putting driving conservatively can save petrol
- Reduce your load. Don’t take unnecessary items in the car. Things in the boot that you can’t be bothered offloading before you leave for your trip? Just offload them. Typically, an extra 50kg in weight results in an additional 1 to 2% fuel consumption, which will add up over a year of driving
