New data from Transport & Environment (T&E) indicates that electric vehicle owners currently pay less than half the cost per kilometer compared to diesel drivers. The calculation is based on an average consumption of 6.9 liters per 100 kilometers for diesel and 20.2 kWh per 100 kilometers for electric vehicles, with electricity priced at €0.343 per kWh.
Diesel costs have risen significantly, with drivers paying €32 more per 50-liter tank than at the start of 2026. Approximately €16 of this increase is attributed to higher refinery margins, which rose from about €0.10 per liter in February to €0.41 per liter by mid-September 2026. Oil company profits in Europe have doubled in the last quarter.
T&E reports that electric trucks are now cheaper to operate than diesel models for nearly half of the trucks sold in the European Union. Despite this, some European truck manufacturers are requesting delays to emissions targets, which could reduce e-truck sales by 50 percent. T&E advises against blanket fuel duty cuts, proposing targeted support for low-income households instead.
The organization suggests using windfall taxes on energy firms to fund public transport and scrappage schemes. T&E senior director Antony Froggatt warned that potential US export blocks on diesel could lead to supply shortages. The group urges the EU to prioritize oil and diesel in its energy crisis response, rather than focusing solely on gas.
