Fuel prices in Germany rose sharply in January compared with December. According to an ADAC report released on Tuesday, the average price of a litre of Super E10 was €1.739, a rise of 8.6 cents. Diesel climbed even faster, increasing by 9.4 cents to an average of €1.692 per litre. Consequently, diesel was only €0.047 cheaper than Super E10, even though the energy tax on diesel is about €0.20 lower.
The main driver of the price hike was higher crude‑oil prices. Brent crude rose from below $60 per barrel at the beginning of the month to over $70 by month‑end. The euro’s stronger exchange rate against the dollar helped temper the impact of the higher oil cost, yet the ADAC criticised that fuel prices were still too high around the New Year, despite comparatively low crude‑oil levels.
The most expensive day for petrol buyers was January 15, when Super E10 cost €1.749 per litre. The lowest price that month was on January 1 at €1.709 per litre. For diesel, the highest price was on January 31 at €1.718 per litre, while the lowest was again on January 1, with a daily average of €1.658 per litre.