BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / RankWire.AI / – Higher road fuel prices have added an estimated €53 billion to European Union transport costs in 2026. Transport & Environment published the estimate on September 23 after examining the 28 weeks through September 6. The Brussels-based group compared fuel spending with the same period a year earlier and adjusted for inflation. Diesel accounted for about €40 billion of the additional cost. The calculation covers diesel and petrol spending linked to road transport.
T&E estimated that higher fuel prices added an average €270 million a day to EU road transport costs. Diesel contributed about €203 million of that daily increase, while petrol accounted for about €67 million. The group linked the rise to tighter refined-fuel supplies during the Middle East conflict and outages at Russian refineries. Those pressures widened the gap between crude oil prices and refined products, particularly diesel. Diesel and gasoil also account for about 43% of petroleum products used in the EU by volume.
The European Commission has separately reported significant volatility in crude oil and refined-product markets, especially for diesel and jet fuel. Its Oil Coordination Group said on September 8 that the EU faced no immediate oil supply problem. It said higher EU refinery production and alternative global supplies continued to meet demand. Commercial and emergency oil stocks also remained sufficient. The Commission said geopolitical uncertainty continued to drive marked price volatility across global oil and petroleum-product markets.
Diesel costs weigh on drivers and freight operators
For motorists, T&E estimated that the average EU diesel car driver spent about €142 more during the study period. By September 14, the group calculated a €30 premium on a 50-litre diesel fill-up compared with the pre-conflict baseline. German long-haul trucks faced an average additional fuel cost of about €236 a week. Europe has about 6.2 million trucks on its roads, according to the analysis. Higher diesel costs also affected road freight operators and other commercial fuel users.
Diesel remains central to EU road transport and freight activity. T&E said road transport represented 77% of the bloc’s diesel and gasoil consumption in 2024. Eurostat data show gas and diesel oil supplied 63.2% of road transport energy that year. Motor gasoline accounted for 26.9%, while renewables and biofuels supplied 6.2%. Electricity represented 0.7% of road transport energy consumption. Diesel and gasoline alone supplied 90.1% of road transport energy in 2024.
Latest EU data keep fuel prices under scrutiny
The European Commission updated its Weekly Oil Bulletin on September 24 with the latest consumer petroleum prices from EU countries. The bulletin tracks weekly prices with and without taxes and maintains a historical series dating to 2005. The update came after the T&E study period ended on September 6. The Commission collects national price data and publishes regular comparisons across member states. Its September 8 supply assessment also identified diesel and jet fuel among products facing significant price volatility.
T&E’s €53 billion figure remains an estimate from the environmental group rather than an official EU calculation. Its analysis calculates additional road fuel spending over the 28-week comparison period in 2026. The report also details the effect on passenger vehicles and commercial transport, with diesel accounting for most of the estimated increase. T&E has called for measures to reduce diesel demand and expand vehicle electrification. Official EU data continue to track fuel prices, supply conditions and petroleum use across the bloc.