Why do people buy diesel? Because it allows them to save money at the gas station.

Diesel drivers are no longer saving nearly as much at the gas station as they did a few years ago. Recently, the fuel was only 5 cents cheaper on average than premium E10 gasoline, according to figures from the ADAC (German Automobile Club). This is significantly lower than the long-term average for this difference – and currently makes diesel vehicles less economical than gasoline vehicles. A look at the numbers.

The government levies fewer taxes and duties on diesel than on gasoline. The difference amounts to around 20 cents per liter, according to ADAC fuel market expert Christian Laberer. "But we haven't seen this difference at gas stations for a long time." But what is a normal difference? Taking the ten years before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine—from 2012 to 2021—diesel was on average 15.4 cents cheaper than E10. Currently, it's not even a third, and the average for the first half of the year, at 8.8 cents, is just over half.

"Diesel is much more vulnerable to crises because we import a lot more of it," says Laberer. One reason for this is that crude oil produces "roughly the same amount of gasoline as diesel," as the expert puts it, but much more diesel is consumed in Germany. According to statistics from the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA), diesel consumption in 2024 was just over 32 million tons, of which 13 million were imported. Gasoline consumption, on the other hand, was just under 18 million tons—just over two million of which were imported.

For a long time, a significant portion of German diesel imports came directly from Russia, which was one of the reasons why diesel prices even overtook gasoline in 2022. In 2023 and 2024, the price difference was also much smaller than in previous years. Replacement supplies now come primarily from the USA, Western Europe, and the Arab region. But even today, diesel from Russia still comes to Germany "via indirect routes," i.e., from third countries such as India or Turkey, says Laberer—only at a higher price.

This shift has consequences not only at the gas station, but also when buying a car. As the price gap narrows, the thresholds at which diesel is profitable shift.

"In the past, the rule of thumb was often that a diesel was financially worthwhile starting at around 15,000 kilometers per year," says an ADAC spokesperson. From then on, the lower fuel costs offset the higher purchase price and higher taxes. However, the market has changed, and whether a diesel is worthwhile now depends more on the manufacturer and vehicle model. The mobility club sees a trend "that increasingly high annual mileage – sometimes in excess of 20,000 kilometers – is required to drive a diesel more cost-effectively than a gasoline car."

However, this cannot be generalized. There are still manufacturers today where diesel-powered vehicles are cheaper after just 10,000 kilometers. On the other hand, diesel is no longer cost-effective for other models. "According to ADAC experience, these isolated cases are becoming increasingly common," says the spokesperson.

For years, the ADAC has been calculating the cost per kilometer for various car models and comparing annual mileages of 10,000, 15,000, 20,000, and 30,000 kilometers to determine whether a diesel or a comparable gasoline engine is cheaper. It compared the 2019 situation with the current situation for five widely used models. In 2019, diesel was cheaper in 13 out of 20 cases, and gasoline in seven. By 2025, diesel was cheaper in only seven cases, equal in one, and more expensive in twelve cases.