Inconspicuous notice at the gas station: It has important information for drivers

In times of crisis, fuel prices at gas stations around the world regularly rise to dizzying heights. In order to secure supplies, the federal government even forced its citizens to leave their cars at home on Sundays during the oil crisis of the 1970s. In the current exceptional situation, Germany is not debating car-free Sundays, but rather potential fuel price curbs, as decided in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, when energy costs shot through the roof everywhere.

Drivers are becoming painfully aware of the costs that their means of transport costs them. In order to enable a comparison across different fuels in times of increasing proportion of electric cars on the roads, helpful small notices have been available at gas stations in the Republic for several years.

Larger gas stations must show an energy cost comparison

Since October 1, 2021, all gas stations with at least seven multiple fuel pumps have been obliged to provide such an overview for customers. This affects around every tenth gas station in Germany. The federal government has thus implemented an EU requirement that is intended to make it easier for consumers to compare potential savings with different types of drive.

But what exactly is on the notices? For each type of drive in the vehicle categories of small cars and medium/upper-class cars, the three best-selling vehicles and their official consumption according to the current WLTP driving cycle are used. This gives you an average consumption per 100 kilometers. Together with the price for the respective energy source, this results in costs per 100 kilometers. The data is provided by the Federal Ministry of Economics available quarterly on its website.

Numbers on the noticeboard are only guidelines

Important for you as a consumer: The numbers are only guidelines. Your own vehicle and your individual driving style have a major impact on consumption. The ministry also uses past average costs for the comparison. Current price peaks in fuel costs are therefore not taken into account. You have to calculate these yourself.

TCO is the more relevant comparison benchmark

You should also not forget that purchase, repair and maintenance costs as well as taxes and insurance are not included in the energy cost comparison. A holistic comparison of the total cost of ownership (TCO) over the lifespan of the vehicle should always include this. For this The ADAC offers a practical tool to.

However, the notices at the approximately 1,500 affected gas stations in Germany can certainly serve as an indication. And make an electric car surprisingly attractive, especially in times of high fuel costs.