diesel

The price of diesel is beginning to fall, but it is still far from what it cost before the war: what can we expect now

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Last Wednesday, April 8, the announcement of a temporary ceasefire two weeks between the United States and Iran, conditional on the partial reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, triggered an immediate reaction in energy markets. The barrel of Brent oil accumulated a weekly drop of 13.77%the highest in nine months, placing the price more than 15 dollars below the level at which it was trading just a week before, when it was still above 110 dollars. That shock has arrived, with a dropper of course, to Spanish gas stations. What you see at the pump right now. On Friday, April 10, the average price of diesel in Spain was around 1.87 euros per liter, with a drop of 1.67% in the next 24 hours compared to the previous day. A still timid drop if one takes into account that diesel was quoted at an average of 1,881 euros per liter during the week of March 27, the highest price since it came into force. the fuel tax reduction approved by the Government. And filling a 55-liter tank of diesel cost about 103 euros, according to data of that same period. Why oil has fallen. The key is in the Strait of Hormuz. Around 20% of the world’s oil passes through it, and its blockade since the beginning of the war had skyrocketed crude oil prices to almost $146 per barrel at the worst times. When talks between the US and Iran were announced for the start of a truce, the price plummeted from $110 to $94 in a matter of hours. Why does it take so long to be noticed at the gas station? Here comes into play what we have been explaining these days in our coverage: the rocket and feather effect. When oil rises, the price of fuel at the pump reacts almost immediately; when it goes down, the correction arrives weeks late. Distribution companies quickly transfer crude oil increases because they anticipate that replenishing fuel will cost them more. But when the price drops, they claim to have stock previously purchased at higher prices, thus delaying the drop. According to Bloomberg Linein Spain the movements in the price of gasoline have been minimal, even upward at times, with variations of less than 1% despite the sharp decline in crude oil. How long do you have to wait? The deadlines vary depending on the source, but there is consensus that the drop will not be immediate. Just like they count From Autopista, the most favorable purchase prices take between 14 and 28 days to reach gas stations significantly, and after four weeks. But of course, all this in case nothing else happens that affects the price, something that we unfortunately do not know about. The tax reduction what we have in Spain. The Government approved fiscal relief measures that have acted as an extra cushion. The first vice president and Minister of Economy, Carlos Body, wait that the fall in oil prices “will also end up resulting in a drop in fuel prices”, after the reactivation of maritime activity in the Strait of Hormuz. However, the European Commission has warned Spain that the reduction in VAT on fuel from 21% to 10% has failed to comply with Community regulations, which adds uncertainty as to whether this aid can be maintained. What can happen from now on. The most favorable scenario, and also the most fragile, depends entirely on the ceasefire holding. Matt Smith, of business analytics firm Kpler, warns that “there will be a lot of reluctance and caution when passing through the strait because it seems that Iran will still be patrolling it,” which will delay the normalization of maritime traffic and, with it, the sustained drop in crude oil. As if that were not enough, oil production in the region fell more in March than in the worst times of the pandemic, and recovering that productive capacity will take time. The American EIA (Energy Information Administration) foresees that the price of crude oil could begin to moderate in the second half of 2026, as long as the international situation stabilizes. But there is no guarantee. What we must not lose sight of. Although the current trend points to a downward correction, current prices are still much higher than before the conflict. The price of fuel in Spain had been relatively stable at the beginning of 2026, with gasoline at around 1.45-1.50 euros per liter, before the escalation of the war changed everything abruptly in March. Returning to those levels is not something that will happen overnight, so for now it seems that we will have to stay alert to learn more information about the situation. Cover image | Roberto Rodríguez and engin akyurt In Xataka | With oil skyrocketing, Japan has resurrected an old idea to extract infinite energy from the ocean

We have been looking for decades to reduce diesel pollution. The answer was in the water

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In slow progress, but with increasing momentum, new energy vehicles continue to gain ground in Europe. However, the vehicle fleet It is still plagued by diesel enginesespecially because beyond passenger cars, they continue to dominate freight transportation, agriculture and industry. Because? Well, because at the end of the day they are robust, efficient and very reliable. But they are also one of the main sources of air pollution. However, there are numerous projects and studies that seek to make diesel a much less polluting fuel. In this regard, a team of researchers from Nigeria has given it a twist to an already known technology that, well applied, can change that equation without having to redesign the engine. What is WiDE technology. Its acronym in English stands for Water-in-Diesel Emulsion, or water-diesel emulsion. The idea is to mix small amounts of water with the diesel using substances called surfactants, which act as stabilizers and keep the mixture homogeneous for up to 60 days. The result is a fuel that, on the outside, barely differs from conventional diesel but that behaves very differently inside the engine. How it works inside the cylinder. When this mixture burns in the combustion chamber, the water droplets vaporize instantly and violently. This phenomenon is called “microexplosion” and has a direct and positive effect: it atomizes the fuel into much finer particles, which improves the mixture with the air. More efficient combustion at lower peak temperatures directly translates into fewer nitrogen oxides (NOx) and less soot. Numbers. The study, carried out by researchers from the Federal University of Technology of Owerri (Nigeria) and published at Carbon Research, analyzed the results of this solution in studies around the world. After this, they detected that engines that operate with WiDE can reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 67% and suspended particles by up to 68% compared to conventional diesel. In addition, several experiments also pointed to an improvement in the thermal efficiency of the engine. Because matters. Current emissions control systems, such as particulate filters or SCR catalysts, work, but add cost and mechanical complexity. WiDE, on the other hand, acts directly on combustion and does not require modifying the engine. According to the main researcher of the study, Dr Chukwuemeka Fortunatus Nnadozie, is “a practical and cost-effective way to clean diesel engines” that opens “an immediate path to lower emissions in both developing and developed countries.” The key: surfactants. It’s not all about mixing water and diesel. The stability of the emulsion depends largely on the type and amount of surfactant used. The investigation concludes that formulations that combine several surfactants offer the best results, both in fuel stability and combustion quality. On the other hand, if this component is chosen incorrectly it can compromise both the performance and security of the system. What remains to be resolved. The authors themselves acknowledge that the technology needs more research before mass adoption. Optimal surfactant formulations remain to be defined and the long-term effect on internal engine components needs to be evaluated. The study’s co-author, Professor Emeka Emmanuel Oguzie, point which, “with proper formulation and testing, could become an important part of sustainable transport and industrial systems.” An intermediate solution. WiDE is not proposed as a substitute for electrification or renewable energies, but as an intermediate solution. The authors describe it as a bridge between the current use of diesel and a cleaner energy model, and point out that it could combine with biodiesel and other emissions control systems to enhance their effects. In Xataka | With gasoline at 2 euros per liter in France, something is happening in Guipúzcoa: French people crossing the border with jerrycans

has run out of gasoline and diesel

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12% of French gas stations is running out of fuel. It’s a headline that’s taking over some of the news this week. Although we may think that it is due to a national shortage problem, the cause is quite different, and has to do with discounts. what has happened. 12% of French gas stations has run out of some type of fuel. The figure, however, has not stopped growing: according to the French government, on Wednesday it was already 18% of the total of stations in the country — almost one in five — that reported a shortage of at least one type of fuel. Specifically, 66% of the stations belonging to TotalEnergies announced yesterday Tuesday that their service stations were running out of fuel, highlighting that they were mobilizing to resupply the affected gas stations. Why has it happened. Fuel prices in France have skyrocketed above two euros, so TotalEnergies decided to apply as a ceiling measure a maximum price of 1.99 liters for gasoline and 2.09 euros in the case of diesel. These rates, notably lower than those of the rest of the distributors, triggered demand with an “infrequent influx” according to the French executive. The result was predictable: queues accumulated at Total stations while the rest of the gas stations operated normally. Translation? There is no fuel shortage in France: there is a logistics problem concentrated in a single network that could not absorb an extraordinary volume of demand. Given the situation, TotalEnergies has decided to extend the measure until the end of April, although adjusting the diesel cap to 2.25 euros per liter. Why is fuel so expensive in France?. Below the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany, where climate taxes are especially high, we find France. A country with quite aggressive taxation with fuel, and in which the increase due to the war in Iran is especially affecting. On top of that already high fiscal base, the conflict in the Middle East has acted as an accelerator. The tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have pushed the price of a barrel up, and France, which does not produce significant crude oil of its own, absorbs it entirely. What’s coming The French industry expects a rapid drop in fuel prices if the ceasefire in Iran is consolidated — this was anticipated this Tuesday by sources in the sector. But until that happens, the French face a scenario of record prices, gas stations with queues and a summer that looks expensive for those who depend on the car. TotalEnergies has bought some time with its price cap, but the underlying solution is not in the hands of any oil company. In Xataka | As soon as the war in Iran began, Spanish gas stations had already done something: start raising prices

why diesel is much more expensive than gasoline

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The conflict between United States, Israel and Iran has turned the energy industry upside down, leading to an aggressive increase in fuel prices. Diesel has risen so much and so quickly that it is already above the price of 98 gasoline in Spain, the most expensive fuel at the pumps. The differences. According to data from the Ministry for the Ecological Transition collected According to the Dieselogasolina portal, the accumulated average price of diesel this weekend was around 1.96 euros per liter, before the government measures package to tackle the problem, while 98 gasoline was around 1.97 euros. After the measures, diesel has remained on top, and this may end up being a problem for millions of drivers, transporters and industries that have no alternative. How we got here. The outbreak of the war in the Middle East on February 28 has acted as a trigger for an increase in prices. Since that date, gasoline has become more expensive by around 18.9%while diesel accumulates an increase of close to 31.1%, according to the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU). The problems. Diesel does not only depend on the price of a barrel of oil, but on something more structural. Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, a key point for maritime oil transit, and any alteration in that area has an immediate impact on international prices. The Government announced last Friday a series of measures in order to alleviate the rise through a reduction in VAT on fuel from 21 to 10%. Together with its partners from the International Energy Agency, it also authorized the release of up to 11.5 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves, which is equivalent to 12.3 days of national consumption, being the largest release of reserves in the history of the IEA. Prices have dropped from their highs last week, as the chart for the last seven days shows. But diesel is still above 98 gasoline. Why diesel rises more than gasoline. Every time there is an energy crisis, diesel hits harder than the rest. It makes sense, since the rebound is mainly due to Europe’s dependence on diesel importssince the continent depends on the Middle East for this type of fuel. For this reason, its international price has come to eat up the tax advantage that diesel historically had in Spain. Added to this is that Europe has spent years closing refining capacity. Well according to data According to the Financial Times, as of 2024 alone the continent has closed about 400,000 barrels per day of refining capacity, a deficit that has been accumulating for years. The process was further accelerated when Russia was sanctioned following the invasion of Ukraine. And Europe depended on Russia for almost half of its total diesel imports. Losing that supply required rebuilding the entire supply chain. And now, without Russia and with the Middle East on fire, Europe’s diesel market is in a bind. The vehicle fleet is still mainly diesel. If diesel were only the fuel for those who drive on the highway or travel many kilometers, the impact would be limited. But it is not. Of the more than 34 million vehicles which approximately make up the vehicle fleet in Spain, around 57% are diesel vehicles. If we focus only on passenger cars, some 15 million private cars depend on this fuel, which is now ahead of the most expensive gasoline. And although sales of diesel cars have been collapsing for years (in February 2026 They represented only 4.05% of passenger car registrations) diesel vehicles continue to be the majority in Spain. The renewal of the fleet is slow because new cars are expensive and electric cars have not yet penetrated sufficiently. The blow to transportation and everything you buy. The problem multiplies when we look beyond conventional tourism. And it is that 93.8% of light commercial vehicles They use diesel, while 98.7% of commercial vehicles use diesel. Trucks, delivery vans, agricultural machinery, buses: almost everything that moves goods in Spain runs on diesel. And approximately one-third of trucking companies’ operating costs are fuel. In the case of a long-distance heavy truck, the consumption can exceed 4,000 liters per month. The sharp increase in the price of diesel, with increases of more than 30% in a few weeks, is putting pressure on the transport sector. While a private driver can stay at home or take the subway or bus, the truck driver has no alternative. And when transportation costs rise, so do the prices of what you buy at the supermarket. Cover image | Roberto Rodríguez and engin akyurt In Xataka | In 1973 the oil crisis elevated the Japanese car. In 2026 the winner is very different: the Chinese electric

lower VAT on gasoline and diesel to 10%

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The Government intends to approve in a Council of Ministers this Friday a package of shock measures to contain the economic effects of the conflict in Iran. The tax reduction on fuel, electricity and gas are the most notable measures, but the plan also includes specific aid to transporters and farmers and a reinforcement of the social shield. What has happened? The Government wants to lower VAT of electricity, gas and fuels from 21% to 10%. The special tax on hydrocarbons will be temporarily eliminated, which will mean direct relief in the price of diesel and gasoline between 30 and 40 cents per liter, depending on share SER chain. The special tax on electricity, currently at 5%, also disappears, along with the tax on the value of electricity production. According to account El Diario, the Council of Ministers, scheduled for this Friday at 9:30, had to be delayed due to pressure from Sumar to include measures at the last minute in the decree on housing and control of business margins. Therefore, we still have to wait a while until the approval is given. Why now and not before. The trigger is the war in Iran, which has strained crude oil markets through of the Strait of Hormuzartery through which a relevant part of the world’s oil travels. In just weeks since the start of the conflict, gasoline has risen by 16% and diesel by 29%. At the time of writing this article, fuel prices are already €1.94/liter on average for diesel and €1.81/liter for 95 gasoline, according to data from the Ministry of Ecological Transition collected by Dieselogasolina. For this reason, the Government has ended up accelerating the response. In detail. The package goes beyond fuel. For the most exposed sectors (transport, agriculture and fishing) direct aid of 20 cents per liter is recovered, according to they count from El Diario. The electric social bonus is reinforced, supply cuts to vulnerable homes are prohibited and the thermal social bonus for gas consumers is increased. In parallel, the decree includes more structural measures: incentives for improving energy efficiency in homes, support for electric vehicles and promoting self-consumption. The SER also points out that the Government also contemplates reducing the electrical costs of the electro-intensive industry (steel, chemistry), a nod to the PNV, according to they count from The World. ANDl rocket and feather effect. Just because VAT goes down on paper does not mean that the price at the pump will go down just as fast. This is what economists know as the theory of the rocket and the pen: When oil rises, prices at gas stations react immediately; when it falls (or when tax cuts are applied), the transfer to the final consumer is much slower. Gas stations adjust prices upwards almost automatically, but the cuts take weeks or months to reach the pump with the same intensity. The Government does not want to repeat what happened in 2022. We have the most recent precedent in the bonus of those 20 cents per liter that the Executive applied during the Ukraine crisis. It cost around 4,250 million euros and its effectiveness was, to say the least, questionable. Three independent studies (one from Esade, one of Funcas and a joint investigation of economists Jiménez, Perdiguero and Cazorla-Artiles published in December 2024) concluded that a significant part of that aid did not reach consumers. Studies indicated that gas stations They appropriated at least 850 million of that bonus in the case of diesel. The Esade study detected that service stations They increased the price of diesel between 3.52 and that of gasoline at 0.7 cents just when the measure came into force. In the month of April 2022, when the discount started, gas stations increased their profit margin by 23%, according to share from Metropolitan. The CNMC, for its part, archived the investigation without sanctioning any company. This history is precisely the reason why the Government has opted this time for a direct tax reduction, which acts on the taxes included in the price, instead of repeating the universal bonus. From the Spanish Confederation of Service Station Employers (CEEES), its general director Nacho Rabadán had already asked to participate in the design of any measure and qualified the 2022 bonus as “well-intentioned, but poorly designed and worse executed.” The decree reaches the Council of Ministers this Friday, but we will have to wait until next Thursday for it to be validated in Congress. Cover image | Alberto De la Torre and Dawn McDonald In Xataka | “We felt cheated.” Even gas station owners are freaking out about the sudden, meteoric rise in oil

Spain was supposed to raise diesel in 2026. It was supposed

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Almost no one buys diesel cars anymore. But the fact that the Government has a rise in this fuel on its hands is not good news. Firstly because, although almost no one buys it, many still own a diesel car. Second, because the vast majority of freight transportation continues to be diesel. The question now is: will we see the promised rise? What happens? That the deadline is over. Specifically, the one that the European Union gave to Spain to raise the price of diesel. The last one expired at the end of January and began in July of last year 2025. As you can imagine, Spain ignored its obligations and diesel is still subsidized. Consequently, Europe has asked our Government for explanations because they have also realized that the taxes on this fuel remain unchanged. The intention is that 2026 would be the year in which, once and for all, consumers of gasoline and diesel cars would pay the same taxes. 1.1 billion euros. This is not the first time that the European Union has given a serious warning to our country. The last one cost us 1.1 billion euros and opened this extension that expired in January. Then, Spain received 23.9 billion euros corresponding to the fifth tranche of aid provided by the European Union within the framework of the Next Generation funds. But that money would have been more if the country had complied with the obligation to raise the price of fuel (and a second related to employment). Something to which it has committed itself on various occasions to European officials but which it has also systematically failed to comply with. 2018. The issue of raising the cost of diesel for the end customer is not new by any means. In 2018, Teresa Rivera, then Minister of Ecological Transition, already made the Government’s position clear: “diesel’s days are numbered”he said at that time. Since then, a calendar has been opened from which the months have been falling but which always has one more page to discard. Three years laterthe hum picked up strength again. On that occasion it was the blows of the coronavirus crisis and the War in Ukraine that postponed the issue again. In 2024the new attempt came to nothing because the Tax Reform that contemplated the increase in diesel ended up falling. Last year, in the summer, was when the European Union rolled its eyes and gave Spain a new extension. The one that happened last January. How would it be done? The simplest procedure is to eliminate the bonus that diesel currently has in our country in the Special Tax on Hydrocarbons. Therefore, right now we pay the following depending on the fuel refueled on this section: Unleaded gasoline 98: 431.92 euros/1000 liters or 0.432 euros/liter. Unleaded gasoline 95: 400.69 euros/1000 liters or 0.401 euros/liter. Diesel: 307 euros/1000 liters or 0.307 euros/liter. To this section of the tax we must add the regional tax which, since 2019, has been linear at 7.02 cents/liters. This leaves us with a Special Tax on Hydrocarbons of: Unleaded gasoline 98: 0.504 euros/liter. Unleaded gasoline 95: 0.473 euros/liter. Diesel: 0.379 euros/liter. The objective would be to raise this section of taxes and equalize diesel and gasoline 95. That is, an increase of almost 10 cents/liter. The question is whether this increase would be suffered by all drivers of diesel cars, regardless of whether they are professionals or not, or whether the latter would be left out completely or partially. It will affect you. Raising diesel continues to be a very delicate issue in Spain. It is a fuel that has been rising and that has reduced its gap with gasoline in recent times. That, a political environment that has opted to criminalize this fuel and tough emissions regulations that They advise against its use if we repeat short journeyshave ended up sinking their sales. In January, only 4.5% of the market corresponded to diesel sales according to Anfac. The problem is that more than half of the Spanish vehicle fleet is still diesel cars. Added to this is a huge fleet of professionals who will make their products more expensive if they have to pay more for diesel. And it is that much of the inflation During the first months of the Ukrainian War it came hand in hand with rising fuel prices. And to that we must add that in those days the Government had to face a transport strike due to the increase in fuel prices, which ended up being solved with a general bonus to all drivers. Photo | Ministry of the Presidency, Government of Spain on Wikimedia and Raymond Okoro In Xataka | The “best mechanic in Spain” says that low-cost gasoline is of worse quality than premium gasoline. The reality is much more complex

diesel lives, the fight continues

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Diesel, 204 HP and ECO sticker. Aberration for some. Heavenly music for others. Audi maintains in its range one of those cars that is a safe bet for fans of the brand. But, above all, for those who travel long and hard on the road, those who want a car with comfortable and safe reactions and, incidentally, get an ECO label that gives it certain advantages when entering big cities. He Audi Q5 It is the reminder that there are not many of them anymore but yes, diesel is still a good alternative for a very specific driver profile. The company has also renewed one of its best-selling SUVs with a technological arsenal that may include a screen for the co-pilot. Audi Q5 technical sheet Audi Q5 TDI quattro 150 kW (204 HP) BODY TYPE. five-seater SUV MEASUREMENTS AND WEIGHT. 4.86 meters long, 1.89 meters wide, 1.66 meters high. Wheelbase of 2.82 meters. 1,910 kg weight. TRUNK. 520 liters MAXIMUM POWER. 204 hp WLTP CONSUMPTION. 5.9 l/100 km ENVIRONMENTAL DISTINCTIVE. ECHO DRIVING AIDS (ADAS). Automatic emergency braking, intelligent speed limit information, parking assistance, driver fatigue monitoring, parking assistance and lane departure and lane keeping warning. OTHERS. Operating system built on Android Automotive. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, via Bluetooth. Two USB C ports for the front and rear seats. Wireless charging for mobile phone. ELECTRIC HYBRID. Yes, MHEV versions with 48v battery. Plug-in HYBRID. Yes, 220 kW (299 HP) version with 98 kilometers of electric range. electric No. price and launch Now available from 66,600 euros. Tested unit 76,300 euros. Diesel, why not? Only 5.6% of all cars bought in Spain They have been diesel between January and October 2026. The image is radically different from that of a few years. In 2010more than 70% of the cars purchased in Spain used this mechanism. It didn’t matter if the car was going to be used on long stretches on the highway or in an urban environment and its ring roads. Over the years, European regulations have put a stop to this fuel, less expensive than gasoline under similar conditions and cleaner if we talk about CO2 emissions but much more polluting if we focus on NOx emissions or in fine particles. This has led us to AdBluethe particle filters and their painful breakdowns. A technology that discourages short, repetitive journeys in which the engine does not reach the optimal temperature to burn polluting particles, forcing forced regeneration which, when not completed, ends up leading to breakdowns. But like everything in this life, not everything is black or white. Firstly, because there are those who not only still like the diesel formula, they also still like it for maintaining that push from very low down. And second because this 204 HP Audi Q5 TDI does not add up in the category of diesel car. The company has here a mild hybrid which accesses the ECO sticker, a purchase value that is almost essential in a car worth more than 60,000 euros. That ECO sticker is achieved by a soft hybridization system that continues to impact less on consumption and emissions than a “Toyota-style” electric hybrid but it is more capable than most alternatives on the market. And the electrical system, which consists of a 1.7 kWh capacity battery and a 24 HP motor, allows the car to move by itself and not only support the combustion engine. It does this for a few meters or during parking maneuvers and is especially comfortable in the latter case when the engine is turned off and parking becomes more pleasant. It can also turn off the combustion engine while it is running when the foot is lifted from the accelerator to drive at full speed and save a few tenths in final consumption. This is where the Audi Q5 shines the most. On the open road is where it achieves its best results because its dynamics have everything we can expect from the brand: a comfortable car, with direct steering and very noble reactions. Especially with the pneumatic suspension that we have tested, which slightly reduces the height with the sport mode activated, improving the possible roll of the body that becomes almost non-existent unless we intend to go faster than we have to on a secondary road. It is also its best side because that is where the combustion engine becomes less present. And at low speeds or when we put pressure on the accelerator pedal to get out of trouble, the combustion engine can be heard and felt. This diesel is less refined than, for example, the six-cylinder inline of the Mazda CX-60which is a delight. We are not talking about a car that feels noisy, but its presence is noticeable during acceleration or in the city where the lowest speeds do not cover the sound of the engine. They are details that leave us wanting more. The same thing happens inside with some lights and shadows although it is the first that shines above the second. And the fit of all the interior materials is good. Soft materials are used in most places where our hands reach, but as we go down to the ground, hard plastics are more present, which reduces the sensation. premium that we should have in a car that starts at over 60,000 euros. Added to this is the absence of physical controls for the air conditioning and the replacement of controls that were once made of aluminum with plastic parts finished in piano black that are difficult to keep clean. Layout of applications on the central screen Beyond the ergonomics of having direct access to raise or lower the temperature or select the lights (which are located in the door collected in a single piece of plastic), these are decisions that lower the perception of the general quality of a vehicle and that, without you knowing very well why, do not generate the good harmony of a few years ago. Of course, Audi is not … Read more

After electrifying cars, China is targeting trucks. It is a slap in the face to global diesel consumption

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China is one of the oil monsters. Not so much in generation, where they want to start being a powerbut in consumption. It is the fuel of hundreds of millions of vehicles They hit the road every day, but things are changing. Although the Asian giant has become one of the powers in car electrification, diesel seemed to have a break thanks to trucks. Not even that anymore. Diesel down. China is second diesel consumeronly behind the United States. transportation concentrate between 70 and 80% of that final consumption, but in recent years, the market has been going down. It is estimated that, in June 2024, diesel consumption fell to 3.9 million barrels per day. It’s still stupid, but it was 11% less than during the same period the previous year. It was the biggest drop since mid-2021 (logical because of the pandemic and the world situation) and despite the industrialization of the country and the rise of both national and international trade, this consumption has remained at a “plateau” for more than a decade. That is to say: it should be much greater than 10 years ago, but that is not the case. Another fact: in August 2024, 8% of new trucks were electric, but in August 2025, the figure was 28%. electric trucks. He rise of electric cars could explain this negative trend in diesel consumption, but as we say, the boats and, above all, trucks continued to support the market. That is no longer so clear, especially with the recent involvement of the Government. In April this year, the Ministry of Transport published, with the support of other government departments, a program to encourage the majority of new truck sales to be new energy by 2035. To achieve this, there are objectives, such as that by 2027 the share of electrical energy in final transport consumption must be 10% and the proportion of new new energy vehicles must be increased each year. The heavy truck seemed to be the bastion of diesel, but now it is one of the central pieces of this decarbonization of transportation. Paradigm shift. To achieve this, in addition to direct aid for the purchase of heavy electric trucks, China has launched a specific action to eliminate and replace old diesel trucks, with subsidies for their removal and replacement with new energy units. In fact, there are advantages: freer access to restricted urban areasfewer time limitations and discounts on tolls. In a report by The Associated Press This paradigm shift is reflected: if in 2020 almost all new trucks in China were diesel, by 2025 electric trucks already represent 22% of new heavy truck sales. As our colleagues point out Motorpassionthe arrow is inverse to that of diesel consumption: in the same period of 2024, that percentage was 9.2%. And the load? It represents a paradigm shift and there are analysts who predict that, by 2026, diesel will only account for 40% of sales. The rest: electric and gas trucks. Is the charging infrastructure? Because we are seeing advances in the development of solid state batteries that will allow greater autonomy, but until they arrive, it is necessary that there be numerous charging points to support the electrification of transport. The National Energy Administration and the Ministry of Transportation have already affirmed that 98% of highway service areas already have charging points, with widespread installation of 120 kW chargers and, in some segments, 600 and 800 kW chargers. The intention is for there to be some 28 million charging points throughout the country by 2027, and one of the key pieces in that expansion is CATL. The company is one of those leads the battery sector worldwideand is currently tracing a “green corridor” that will cover the major freight hubs to facilitate loading, but also to implement its battery exchange system that speeds up the process. Green curve… and economic. This electrification of commercial transportation would add to the objectives of decarbonization of the countrybut obviously truckers and companies also see a benefit in their pockets, or so they esteem. Although electric trucks are between two and three times more expensive than diesel trucks and cost 18% more than LNGare more efficient, have less maintenance and can help save between 10% and 26% over their useful life. Horizon. This change to the electrification of trucks would already be reducing the demand for oil in the equivalent of more than a million barrels per day, and that a giant like China stops depending on crude oil for its trucks is something that can shake the market internationally. And that ambition is not going to stay within its borders. If in recent months we have seen that China has flooded Europe with his electric carswe can expect something similar for 2026, but with trucks. And, furthermore, it has torn off in Hungary the construction of a factory for electric trucks and buses. It is evident that this path started by cars will be followed by trucks, which in the end are a important source of emissions in a world with increasingly global trade. Specificallya third of all transport-related carbon emissions in 2019. Images | Volvo, Cheng Long In Xataka | China’s energy paradox: an ‘electrostate’ that continues to feed on coal

Europe has been closing refineries for 10 years. Now even a fire in Nigeria raises the price of diesel

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Diesel prices in Europe have once again set off alarm bells. In a matter of days, the market has experienced a sharp rebound that cannot be interpreted as a one-off shock, but rather as the symptom of a fragile energy system that, in the face of a global chain of incidents, has left the continent without defenses. A chain of critical interruptions. The immediate origin is in a succession of stoppages in refineries and international tensions. According to the Financial TimesEuropean operators reacted with concern after several facilities in Kuwait, the United States and Nigeria were forced to stop or reduce production due to fires or technical problems. These interruptions coincided with already very low inventories and with demand that remains stronger than expected. Adding to this instability was the announcement that United States sanctions against the two largest Russian producers, Lukoil and Rosneft, will come into effect immediately. As the British media explains, these measures will block any operation related to the international assets of both companies, including refineries that still indirectly supply the European market. Only the Bulgarian Lukoil refinery has received a temporary exemption until 2026. The scenario is even more complicated with the fall of Russian crude oil. According to Bloombergits price has fallen to the lowest level in more than two years, just when large Asian buyers have paused purchases due to the entry into force of sanctions. In addition, the EU has also sanctioned Russian refined products that arrive re-exported from India or Türkiye, a flow that had served as an indirect way to compensate for the lack of European diesel. An extremely vulnerable market. Europe has lost refining capacity over the last decade. According to data cited by the Financial Timesthe continent has closed about 400,000 barrels per day since 2024. This reduction means that it is increasingly dependent on imported fuels and a global market that has become more volatile and unpredictable. The European industrial crisis amplifies this problem. Based on data from the petrochemical industry, high energy costs and Asian competition have caused massive closures of plants in the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom. This industrial deterioration also affects the infrastructure linked to fuel processing. For analyst Benedict Georgethe result is clear: “European prices are much more sensitive to any disruption because Europe has closed many refineries in recent years.” A tense world. Although the price of diesel has skyrocketed, the global crude oil market presents a paradox. The International Energy Agency foresees a record surplus in 2026powered by the increase in OPEC+ production and for the rebirth of the American offshore. However, this future abundance is not alleviating current tension. As Bloomberg points outthe market remains trapped between sanctions, fears of specific shortages and sudden changes in global flows. Added to this is a particularly delicate geopolitical context for Europe. The peace plan proposed by the United States for Ukraine has generated a “diplomatic storm” in Brussels and kyiv for their apparent alignment with pro-Moscow positions. This diplomatic uncertainty – which affects sanctions, energy and continental security – adds pressure to an EU that already depends on abroad to guarantee its diesel supply after two years of war. A direct hit. Europe faces a structural problem: it has little of its own refining capacity, low inventories and a growing dependence on imports. Every global incident reaches the European consumer almost unmuffled. And this directly affects Spain for three reasons: Spanish transport depends mainly on diesel. Trucks, logistics vans, buses and much of rural transport continue to use diesel. The escalation is transferred to the prices of goods. Food, imported products, construction materials… Everything that moves by road becomes more expensive when diesel does. Price spikes are amplified. Being a net importer, Spain especially suffers from international volatility. The rapidity with which diesel has risen shows that Europe “has no margin”: each shock becomes a direct blow for consumers and companies. For a standard 55 liter tank, filling a diesel car is already around 79 euros, while with 95 gasoline the cost is close to 82 euros, according to current average prices. Is there relief in sight? In the short term, analysts cited by Financial Times They believe the rebound could moderate during the winter months, when refineries avoid scheduled shutdowns to maximize production. But they warn that the market will remain “vulnerable to any disruption.” In the medium term, the perspective is contradictory. On the one hand, the International Energy Agency anticipates a global surplus in 2026 and an increase in production in both the United States and OPEC+. On the other hand, Chinawhich has purchased more than 150 million barrels for reserves— could stop its acquisitions at any time, releasing an excess capable of sinking global prices or further tightening the chains if it decides to continue accumulating. The warning of a weak system. Europe faces uncomfortable evidence: it has built a fragile energy system at a time of maximum global tension. The combination of refinery shutdowns, sanctions on Russia, diplomatic tensions and loss of industrial capacity has left the continent exposed. As the London media summarizes, “inventories are extremely low and demand is better than expected.” An explosive mixture. While the world navigates between a future surplus and constant geopolitical crises, the present shows that any spark – a fire, a sanction or a diplomatic disagreement – ​​can reignite the European diesel market. And Europe, for now, appears to have few tools to prevent the next shock from hitting even harder. Image | FreePik Xataka | The world is heading towards an oil surplus: the US responds by filling the Gulf of Mexico with platforms again

Renewable gasoline and diesel are the last bastion of combustion cars to be able to circulate in Europe: they have a difficult time

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Whether for lack of infrastructure, strict regulationsocial perception, or by many other factors, electrification is a process that is advancingbut very slowly. Meanwhile, more than 20 million diesel and gasoline vehicles continue to circulate in Spain, many of them more than a decade old (or two). However, there are solutions that try to make this energy transition more bearable, and one of them involves the use of renewable fuels. What exactly are these fuels?. They don’t have a single drop of oil. They are produced from organic waste such as used cooking oils, animal fats, forest waste or crop remains. The catalytic hydrogen generation process transforms these wastes into fuels with properties similar to those derived from petroleum, but with a key difference: the CO₂ they emit when burned is the same as that which plants have previously absorbed from the atmosphere. Here we would therefore speak of a closed cycle, unlike fossil fuels, which release carbon stored underground for millions of years. Emissions. Repsol states that its Nexa diesel can reduce net CO₂ emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional diesel, while your Efitec Nexa gasoline discount more than 70%. In this case, although the engine continues to emit CO₂, it was already in the atmosphere before being converted into fuel. However, there is a nuance: nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) continue to be generated during combustion, because they come from nitrogen in the air when exposed to high temperatures. And for now, studies show conflicting results, with some indicating slight increases in NOₓ with certain biofuels, while others like the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory they conclude that renewable diesel reduces both CO₂ and NOₓ. What is consistent is the reduction of particles and soot. Full compatibility with current cars. This is probably its biggest practical advantage. Any diesel or gasoline vehicle can use these fuels without technical modifications. There is no need to change the engine, adapt the tank, or install new pumps at gas stations. In the case of Repsol, its Nexa diesel also complies with the European standard EN 15940 for paraffinic fuels, and Efitec Nexa gasoline with EN-228. In addition, the company ensures that, thanks to its high cetane number, it improves combustion, reduces engine noise and has a cleaning effect on the injection system. Where to find them in Spain. Repsol clearly leads the deployment, with more than 1,000 stations that offer Nexa diesel and with the goal of reaching 30 stations with Efitec Nexa gasoline by the end of the year. BP too offers HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) in strategic locations such as Tafalla, Getafe, Villacastín Norte or Olaberria, although its network is more limited and is oriented towards professional transport. To locate them, the most practical thing is use web search engines of each company, since they include filters to find gas stations that offer renewable fuels. It is worth remembering that the conventional diesel sold at practically all gas stations in Spain already contains up to 7% biodiesel (B7 label), but it is not comparable to a 100% renewable fuel if we stick to emissions. Cost and availability. Price is one of the main obstacles. Nexa diesel costs approx. 10 cents more per liter than conventional diesel, placing it in the range of premium fuels. Renewable gasoline follows a similar trend. Furthermore, although Repsol has expanded its network, coverage remains limited outside large urban centers and main corridors, especially in terms of renewable gasoline. Industrial production. Repsol produces renewable diesel in its Cartagena refinery and 100% renewable gasoline at the Tarragona plant. The company assures that it has been researching these processes for more than twenty years in collaboration with Honeywell. In 2026, the opening of a new facility in Puertollano with capacity for more than 200,000 tons per year is planned. Who is using them already?. In addition to the fact that anyone can now go to a Repsol gas station to try these fuels, their use has transcended commercial vehicles. And they have been tested in competitions like the Dakar Rallyand even sustainable fuels are used on commercial flights. Also transport companies such as Scania, Alsa or Grupo Sesé have signed agreements for adoption. An intermediate solution. The current European regulations The CO2 emissions test for new vehicles measures emissions from the tailpipe. With this approach, the result is zero for an electric car, but not for one that uses renewable fuel, even if it is carbon neutral in its entire life cycle (from production to consumption). It is for this reason that the industry and defenders of these fuels are asking for a change in the methodology so that the complete life cycle of the fuel is considered. Repsol and other players in the sector They ask for adapted taxation and long-term objectives that provide stability to investments. The Spanish mobile fleet has an average age of 14.5 years and it has more than eight million vehicles that are more than two decades old, according to data from ANFAC (Spanish Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers). Therefore, renewable fuels could be an intermediate alternative in this stage of energy transition, especially since they do not leave millions of drivers behind. Cover image | engin akyurt In Xataka | In 2001, Renault launched a car ahead of its time: it was a miserable failure that now has another chance

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