gasoline

Offering the cheapest gasoline in Spain has become an obsession. And 2026 is going to be the year of the great battle

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The cheapest gasoline in Spain today, January 7, is found at a Ballenoil service station in Coslada (Madrid) at a price of 1,239 euros/liter, according to dieselgasolina.coma portal that monitors the price of service stations throughout our country. The second position is also from a Ballenoil service station and is also in Coslada. And the third. And the fourth and the fifth. Oh. And also the seventh, the eighth and the tenth. And the company low cost has started a war to be the company that sells us fuel the cheapest in our country. It wants to continue expanding. And along the way it will face Plenergy, another of the queens of cheap gasoline. Both have undertaken strong expansion. The cheap gasoline war Ballenoil, which is part of Cepsa moeve since just over two yearsis the leg that its parent company has to continue attracting customers who prioritize the price of gasoline above any other incentive. The company goes through a transformation campaignmaking greater efforts for sustainable fuels and electricity. With Ballenoil, Moeve has some safety net. Its service stations require very little expense because, precisely, that is the secret of gasoline low cost. Minimum investments in the stations, forget about additives and any other additional service so that word of mouth is the true driver of service stations. Low prices but good performance at volume. The strategy is working. They point out in Five Days that Ballenoil sold 1.385 million liters of fuel in 2024 and that the target figure for 2026 is 1.8 billion liters. To do this, they seek to consolidate at the end of the year an offer of 500 gas stations spread throughout Spain. Last November they were the first low cost to reach 350 stations of service in Spain. The investment is by no means exceptional. Plenergy is another of the kings of low cost with a turnover of 1,550 million euros in sales in 2024. Right now, it has 352 gas stations on the Peninsula, of which 10 are in Portugal and the rest in Spain. The objective is the same as that of Ballenoil: 500 service stations by the end of 2026. He growth of this type of business It is so high that if the plans are fulfilled we will be seeing one opening of this type of company every four days. That is, every two weeks there should be three new service stations and another on the way. And to certify it, the objective of Plenergy, they point out in Five Days is to have a 10% market share in our country. That would place it as the third most used company, only behind Repsol and Moeve. To these two giants we must add the third in contention. Petroprix, which shares with Ballenoil the service stations with the cheapest fuel in Spain according to dieselgasolina.com, also plans an expansion. For now, talk about extend your influence abroad But it also does not turn its back on Spain and talks about having 400 service stations ready in our country by 2027. gasoline low cost proves to be a huge business in our country. As we counted on Xatakaits competitive advantage is zero investment in marketing or additives. The fuel arrives at these service stations as it is distributed by Exolum, former CHLin charge of distributing all gasoline throughout our country. In return, the business model proposes sales that are large enough to compensate for the narrow profit margin, without an alternative for additional services such as large gas stations such as Repsol or Moeve receive. Photo | Ballenoil and Plenergy In Xataka | Look at gasoline and diesel to improve the electric motor. This project is committed to an untested solution

Spain already sells more electric cars and plug-in hybrids than gasoline. With a (big) asterisk

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The plug-in vehicle is expanding in Spain. For the first time, our country has recorded more sales of plug-in vehicles (plug-in hybrids and electric) than gasoline and, of course, diesel cars. Or, in other words, they add up to more than pure combustion vehicles per fuel type and come close to exceeding the sum of both. The data, however, has important nuances. you will have read it. And it makes sense, because the data is striking. For the first time, Spain has added more sales of plug-in vehicles than pure combustion vehicles. The figures for last November are, according to ANFACthe following: Gasoline cars: 21,147 units Diesel cars: 4,979 units Plug-in hybrid cars: 11,999 units Electric cars: 9,316 units Therefore, the duel is as follows: Sum of combustion vehicles: 26,133 units Sum of plug-in vehicles: 21,315 units. The first. The news is that for the first time the sum of cars with plug They have surpassed pure combustion gasoline. Cars that do not have any type of electrification continue to represent 22.47% (28.15% if we extend the photograph to the entire year 2025) but this energy is clearly declining. Cars with a plug have already reached 22.65% market share. But the big change is in the year’s accumulated results. This has shot up to 19.29% when a year ago it stood at 11.06%. Growth between January and November 2025 has skyrocketed by 100.12%. That is, twice as many cars of this type have been purchased. The hybrids. Once again, the non-plug-in hybrid is the best-selling type of car. According to ANFAC data, it was the best-selling type of car last November, with 41,034 units and a market share of 43.60%. This data does not stop growing. In the accumulated of the year, the market share is 41.85% and is almost four percentage points more than in the same period of 2024 (38.09%). In total, they have grown 26.04% in sales so far this year. These hybrids are mostly gasoline. But of the more than 40,000 units last November classified as hybrids, 3,852 of them are hybrids with diesel engines, which begins to give some clues about what we are talking about. Right now, non-plug-in hybrids that run on diesel are 1,000 units away from surpassing pure combustion diesels. Why do we talk about an asterisk? Because in their accounts, the microhybrid cars They count the same as a hybrid. There is no way to know how many of the more than 40,000 hybrids sold in Spain in November 2025 and the more than 437,621 units sold so far this year actually correspond to electric hybrids. What is popularly known as a “Toyota hybrid.” In fact, among the best-selling hybrids so far this year we find cars like the Citroën C4, the Dacia Dusterhe Renault Austral or the Nissan Qashqai. All of them have electric hybrid versions but also light hybrids (also called mild hybrid or microhybrids). In fact, the last two only have versions with the ECO label and although of the four engines, two are mild hybridthey all add up as hybrids in the final count. The controversy of mild hybrid. The controversy with the light hybrid or mild hybrid It comes because it is an effective formula for manufacturers to minimally electrify a car to receive approval from the authorities but with a purely cosmetic impact on the car’s consumption or emissions. With the same engine, a car that uses this type of hybridization barely improves the data approved by its pure combustion brother. In Spain, these cars have some advantages over pure combustion cars despite the fact that their real impact is minimal. In MadridFor example, a car mild hybrid It is exempt from paying 75% of the Tax on Mechanical Traction Vehicles (IVTM) during the first six years. These cars also receive the ECO label from the DGT, which is key when receiving more benefits in Low Emission Zonesspaces where circulation is restricted taking into account the car’s environmental labeling. In some cities they also have advantages such as discounts when parking on the street. A redefinition? It is not expected. Neither when it comes to defining them as hybrids nor when it comes to giving them the ECO label. Recently, in the Congress of Deputies The new Sustainable Mobility Law was approved. It was intended to include the study of a review of environmental labeling, but an amendment by the Popular Party prevented it from being included. this will take place. The creation of a new category or the non-provision of the ECO sticker to these cars is, however, a problem. The main obstacle is what to do with the thousands and thousands of cars mild hybrid that have already been sold and that have received their ECO sticker. Provide different labeling to the new cars, despite the fact that they are in the same situation as the current ones, can create a discriminatory situation, but a retroactive withdrawal of the stickers already delivered is not contemplated either. Photo | juice In Xataka | Catalonia wants to restrict circulation to cars with DGT label B in the ZBE: these are the deadlines and the cities

the price difference with gasoline is now almost zero

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Bad news for drivers of diesel vehicles, who continue to be the majority in our country although they sell less and less. This fuel, which has traditionally been cheaper than gasoline, now faces a worrying future, and in fact the savings it previously offered are fading. It doesn’t stop going up. In the last five months the price of diesel has not stopped rising and in total its cost for the user has increased by 7% in this period. This upward trend is a setback for millions of users who see how the traditional economic advantage of their vehicles fades away little by little compared to gasoline options. Price gap closes. The most recent data from the EU Oil Bulletin, for the last week of November, indicate that the average price of diesel has stood at 1,456 euros per liter. That of 95 octane gasoline has not changed that much, and its appreciation in that time has been 2.1%, standing at 1,489 euros. The price difference between both fuels has been reducing in this second half of the year, and is now only 0.033 euros per liter, the narrowest margin since December 2023. Nuances. In reality, Spain’s situation is not exceptional, and in the EU there are already 11 countries – such as Austria, Belgium or Sweden – in which diesel is more expensive than gasoline. However, Spain remains one of the regions with the most affordable diesel, and is the fourth “cheapest” country in the EU, only behind Malta, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. Russia and winter. Inés Cardenal, Director of Legal Affairs of the Fuel Industry of Spain (AICE), explained in El País the possible causes. According to her, Russia “is a large producer of refined diesel, the fuel most consumed in winter in Europe, and that has continued to put pressure on the market for three years due to the mismatch between supply and demand.” The US sanctions on large Russian crude oil producers They don’t help, of course. Diesel had an advantage. The truth is that diesel plays with a fundamental advantage in Spain: It has a tax burden that is 10 cents per liter less than that affecting gasoline, something that has led to its lower price. However Spain promised Europe a tax reform in exchange for continuing to receive European funds, and the idea is precisely increase the tax burden on diesel to equate it to that of gasoline. The surprise has already happened. In the last 20 years there have only been two times when the price of diesel exceeded that of gasoline. The first in 2008 due to the massive “dieselization” of vehicles in Spain. The second, due to the war in Ukraine, which caused diesel to be slightly above gasoline in March 2022 (€1.83/l vs €1.81/l) and remained above half a year. Uncertainty. Although the price of crude oil has remained relatively stable in the last year, European fiscal policies and the geopolitical situation point to a potential paradigm shift. It may not be a bad idea to prepare for a scenario in which fill the tank in a diesel vehicle no longer represents the savings of yesteryear. Image | Ali Mkumbwa In Xataka | Given the slow progress of the electric car, Spain has a forgotten alternative: 100% renewable fuel

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

the debate on gasoline additives returns with force

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“That is the big lie. We buy the additive that Exolum recommends. But it is not worth anything, nor is it worth anything. We put the additive because people think that the additive is good” We don’t say that the additive is “worthless” at all. Of course, neither does “the best mechanic in Spain” say it, who firmly believes that gasoline low cost it is of worse quality. The person who speaks about the convenience or not of the additive is José Rodríguez de Arellano, “the king of cheap gasoline”they assure in The Country. In the Spanish newspaper they have interviewed Rodríguez de Arellano, CEO of Plenergya gas station company with 370 points of sale throughout Spain and which already sells about 1,700 million liters of fuel. Obviously, Rodríguez de Arelllano’s words hit home. Asked about the convenience of using additives to improve the useful life of the engine, the company’s CEO is very clear: “if it was worth something, the leaders would have already said so.” What do we know about additives Whether or not it is convenient to use additives for the car or refuel at a gas station that is supposed to be of “better quality” has some truth and a lot of hope. Because, really, if the fuel we refuel has the minimum quality standards that fuel in our country must meet, there should be no problem. What must be clear is that the gasoline we put in our tank at Plenergy or Ballenoil it is the same as if we do it at Repsol or BP. At least, it almost entirely is. As if it were a stew where everything comes from the same pot but then each cook ends up giving it their personal touch. The origin of all the fuel consumed in Spain is in Exolum, former CHL. The fuel comes to Exolum from the refineries that BP, Repsol or moeve They are spread throughout Spain. There it is verified that the fuel has the minimum quality for sale in our country and is distributed to the different companies. It is in this distribution where the differences begin. Exolum itself already sells fuel with and without additives. It is known as HQ300 and makes the product more expensive. “ANDIt’s the big lie. “We buy the additive that Exolum recommends.”. In his interview with The Countrythe CEO of Plenergy confirmed that they use this additive fuel and that, however, for him it made no sense and that it was a pure marketing exercise. And he continued: “The additive is not important for the engine. What happens is that we are in a dynamic in which everyone talks about the additive. If it was of any use, the leaders would have already said so. They would have done an independent study to demonstrate that their additive allows the car to go x kilometers longer. It is the same fantasy that still exists in the country, understanding that the fuel is different, but comes out of the same tank.” And this is where much of the secret lies. Once Exolum delivers its fuel with or without additive, it is the companies themselves that provide that chef’s touch that we were talking about. The most renowned firms (and cost for the customer) use their own additives that, they claim, improve the useful life of the engine or make the car travel more kilometers with the same amount of fuel. That is, consume less. However, there are so many conditions When it comes to demonstrating that this really influences it, it is not entirely clear that there is a real benefit. In fact, if you go to one of the websites where the operation of the additives is explained, they will always be accompanied by a small legal text at the bottom. Regarding longer engine life and better efficiency (BP assures that cars that use its fuels can travel 840 kilometers longer for every 13,000 kilometers traveled) On the BP website it reads the following: *Benefits are achieved over time and may vary depending on how and what vehicle you drive. **Claim based on continuous use over 13,000 km. Compared to basic fuels (fuels that only meet the minimum requirements established in Royal Decree 61/2006 of January 31). Benefits may vary depending on vehicle, driving style, road conditions and other factors. The problem is that it is almost impossible to carry out studies that can be translated into practice. Fuel consumption is closely linked to driving style but also to much simpler causes such as keep the tires at the correct pressure or simply perform proper maintenance of the vehicle, which can have much more impact on fuel consumption and avoiding possible breakdowns than on the use of one fuel or another. Everything indicates that so many kilometers would have to be traveled with so many different engines and for so long in laboratory conditions that the cost would be too high. That is why Rodríguez de Arellano assures that “the leaders” have not presented any independent study that validates the use of additives to improve the fuel that arrives from Exolum. This last perspective was the one validated by Carles Fité, professor of Chemical Engineering, and Rodrigo Soto, reading professor of Chemical Engineering, to The Confidential. Both experts pointed out that all the gasolines they had on display had the same base and that there were no substantial differences between them that could confirm that these supposed benefits exist. Photo | Plenergy In Xataka | Why can gas stations in large hypermarkets sell their product cheaper?

The European Union will impose a new CO2 tax in 2027. And that means one thing: more expensive gasoline

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The European Union has a new tax to punish fuel consumption. And that implies, without any doubt, a increase in the price of gasoline and diesel that we use in our day to day. But also in which carriers need to work. And that has consequences. EMISSION RIGHTS. It is not really new, because it is part of a package of measures whose reform It was already approved in 2018. We talk about EU trade emission rights trade regimealso known as the ETS2 that will change in 2027 to impose a new tax on the consumption of fuels emitted CO2. This new tax applies to the fuel consumed in homes and, of course, to transport (both particular and merchandise) that until now had been left out. And that has a clear result: the price of gasoline will rise. How does it work? With the change that will arrive in 2027, it will be the fuel suppliers that have to buy emission rights for carbon dioxide of the products they sell. For each ton of CO2 generated by that fuel, a price will be paid to the European Union. The main problem is that we do not know what increase we face. EMISSION RIGHTS They will be bought by auction So the price fluctuates. At the moment, the most optimistic estimates indicate a price of about 48 euros per ton of CO2, according to The Energy Newspaperbut Bloomberg Nef Bet on a substantial increase in the coming years and aim at 122 euros per ton of CO2 in 2030. These increases can reach an increase in demand but also by speculation with their price, with companies buying emission rights to have them reserve when considering that they will be more expensive in the future. What can we expect? When we go to the gas station, a rise in the fuel price, of course. How much? That is the big doubt. Obviously, this new cost for the supplier should fall in cascade to the final consumer. The doubt is whether something of it will be absorbed along the way or, on the contrary, it will affect completely. According to the European Commission, the expected increase with those 48 euros/ton of CO2 is 0.11 euros/liter of gasoline and 0.13 euros/liter of diesel. That is, in a 50 -liter deposit we talk about an increase between five and six euros. Other sources point to a larger cost. As we have seen, everything will depend on how much the supplier costs the right of issuance and how much the client can affect without the competition. Distributor companies point to ABC that the price will be between 0.15 and 0.25 euros/liter. The hidden climb. But beyond the cost for The driver who fills his carthe new tax points to another problem: a general increase in the cost of life. In that same article of ABC, Transport associations point to wait for an increase of up to 45 cents/liter of CO2. It would be necessary to see if the increase reaches these levels but what is certain is that the cost of fuel It has a direct impact on inflation. Because if moving the product is a greater expense, the ultimate seller has to raise the price to continue maintaining the profits … In greater or lesser average depending on the product, what is certain is that both increases usually go hand in hand. Keep in mind that ETS2 also affects the price of gas, so it is an extra cost than adding to the equation. Worry. As is logical, the first accounts have already begun to look for solutions. From the Bank of Spain they point out that inflation can rebound in 2027 to 2.5% after a year 2026 more restrained. In Belgium they calculate That an average home will pay between 250 and 400 euros more a year. At the moment, the system will have a market stability reserve. The idea is that if the price shoots, the European Union can release emission bonds to control the price and cushion the increase. In addition, it has been designed has designed the Social Fund for Climate (SCF), a fund of at least 86.7 billion euros between 2026 and 2032 to surrender to the most vulnerable families and small businesses. Photo | Xataka In Xataka | Yes, the EU knows what our car consumes and the speed at which it circulates. And none of that has to do with an alleged espionage

It already has 68% more loaders than gasoline suppliers

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“And where am I loading it if I have no garage?”, “Gas stations are everywhere, chargers no” or “What happens if I arrive with little battery to the cargo station and there is no room?” They no longer are worth arguments against electric cars in California. The largest United States tendency laboratory now has two plugs for each gasoline supplier. More cables than hoses. According to has announced The Californian government, the richest state in the country already has 201,180 load points for electric vehicles, including shared public chargers. The figure is not so much a milestone for having exceeded the symbolic barrier of 200,000 as for what it means in relation to fuel suppliers. According to the California Energy Commission, the number exceeds 68% to the total of gasoline refueling hoses available throughout the state, which is estimated at about 120,000. A charger less than 10 minutes. The raw data is shocking, but the capillarity of the California loaders network is the most enviable part of the matter for owners of electric vehicles that do not enjoy so much accessibility. According to official data, 94% of Californians already live less than ten minutes by a public charger. It is not always a fast charger, but one day not too distant it will be: the network has added more than 22,000 new load ports since March in places like supermarketspublic parkings, stadiums and work centers. Ok, it is not the same as filling the tank. While reposting in a gas station is a five -minute operation, a battery charge can take 20 minutes to more than an hour, even with a fast charger. But that is irrelevant to the bulk of people who have charger at work, who carry while they buy or leave the house with the car loaded and can get careless of the route: there will always be a charger. Some 800,000 single -family homes in California already have domestic loaders. Those who do not benefit also from a network that exceeds the centenary infrastructure of fossil fuels. Now the Californians who can buy an electric car will buy it without worrying about the load options. This spectacular transition is not accidental, but has been calculated. 97% of California rapid loaders have been financed with public funds. And the effort is not limited to cars. Heavy transport, responsible for a huge part of pollution, is also being electrified. In California, one in four trucks, buses and vans are already electric. Image | Electrify America In Xataka | China has broken the electric car deck with brutally fast recharges. So much that autonomy is already the least

The “best mechanic in Spain” says that Low Cost gasoline is of worse quality than the premium. Reality is much more complex

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In the long term, fuel Low Cost “It can cause breakdowns.” We do not say it, says Carlos Pérez, recognized as “best mechanic in Spain” in an interview with Canal Moveo de The avant -garde. And we don’t give it because, simply, there is no reasons to say it. In fact, Carlos Pérez himself emphasizes that “all gasoline ultimately come from the same wholesale suppliers.” So what happens? Who. As we say, one of the spaces that The avant -garde He dedicates to the mobility sector has interviewed Carlos Pérez, known on the Internet as “the best mechanic in Spain.” The title is no invention, among the different awards he has obtained we find the one delivered by The workshop community who are focused on communication within the post -sales market. Since then, Pérez has granted various interviews to different media in which he has been explained about What are the most reliable brandswhat are they the car models that recommend Or, simply, which is the best gasoline to use. Yes, but. And here comes the controversy. In his statements about gasoline to use, Carlos Pérez assured the following to The avant -garde: “Although all gasoline ultimately come from the same wholesale suppliers, the differences are in the additives that each company incorporates. These additives are those that help to keep the feeding system clean and prevent the accumulation of waste in the engine, which can affect the performance and durability of the vehicle. The price can be tempting, but in the long term, the use of fuel That supposes in repairs “ That is, a Yes, but in full rule. According to Pérez, there should be no reason to distrust the cheapest fuels but in the long run “it can cause breakdowns and greater engine wear.” Obviously, the price would not compensate for the expense and headaches of the breakdowns. Same origin. The truth is that in Spain there should be no differences between refuel Low Cost or supposed fuel Premium. Because deep down, the fuel is exactly the same. And this is not much less. In Xataka We already played this topic in 2015. Then we explained that the origin of both fuels is the same: CLH or hydrocarbon logistics company that In 2021 he changed his name to exolum. This receives the fuel from the refineries that are distributed by Spain in the hands of BP, Cepsa Moeve or repsol. This fuel already arrives with quality standards that guarantee a good product. This fuel is maintained in the exolum facilities until it is distributed by the service stations. It is here where the difference between products occurs: additives yes or additives no. The additives. To begin with, the exolum itself already has His own additives (HQ300) For part of the fuel it stores. It is the responsibility of the Marketing in charge of fuel with additives or without them. Obviously, this second is cheaper. What is an additive thinking? In theoryto improve long -term engine and vehicle care. Companies Premium Do you sell that their formulas manage to leave less remains in the engines or allow more kilometers with the same amount of fuel. And is there scientific evidence? Really, none. At least that is what Carles Fité, Professor of Chemical Engineering, and Rodrigo Soto, chemical engineering reader, who asked about this same matter, pointed out that “all are equal. I see no difference at this level of analysis.” According to their samples, “they basically contain the same compounds and in the same proportions. Everything comes out very very the same”, in words collected by The confidential. Nor have they found substantial differences in the OCU. In fact, they point out that we are talking more about blind confidence in the effects of additives than on realistic checks: “The effects of additives on engines and gasoline consumption do not seem very verifiable. (…) Prove that an additive lengthens engine life is very difficult, because there is no way to determine how much that same engine would have lasted if that gasoline had not used.” And the secret? The secret is called the economy of scale. Simply, there are two types of business when we talk about service stations. The gas stations Low Cost They can save the customer money because they themselves They already save money on operational costs Of their businesses: they do not usually have employees, they do not invest in R&D to improve those fuels and do not invest in advertising, trusting in the mouth-oreja. On the contrary, gasoline stations Premium They base their business on those additives that generate confidence in the client. But also In formulas to catch you in the following purchase such as loyalty cards or stores that orbit around the suppliers. Also in their Agreements with other companies as insurance companies or large supermarkets. Scams and maintenance. In summary, the quality of the repossed product has much more to do with the maintenance of the service station (which is renewed regularly and does not spend too much time in deposits, for example) and, above all, with complying with the minimum quality standards. The latter should be an endorsement when we repost in Spanish gas stations, however, in recent months the SERVICE STATION SHOWS They have used worse quality fuel and took advantage of great sales at very low prices to subsequently scam the State in the presentation of the VAT tax. This has generated a worse image to the product Low Cost. Photo | BALLENOIL AND BP In Xataka | Diesel or gasoline: what are the differences and which one is better to buy according to your use

The mystery of the price of gasoline

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We are in the middle of August and the asphalt burns, not just by the sun. The massive holiday displacements reach their peak and thousands of drivers look sideways at the fuel marker before embarking. In a summer marked by energy volatility, the cost of filling the deposit is again the protagonist, with ups and downs that depend on both the global and the gas station that is chosen. A fall that barely feels. According to the latest data from the European Union Petroleum Bulletinthe average price in Spain is 1,483 euros per liter for 95 and 1,424 euros for diesel. Testimonial declines are: 0.2 less for gasoline and 0.8 cents for diesel compared to the previous week. In the supplier, the difference is practically imperceptible. Compared to a year ago, savings is more visible – a 7.3% less in gasoline and 2.8% in diesel – but filling today an average 55 -liter deposit continues to hover the 81 euros in gasoline and 78 in diesel. And, as a Facua study recalls cited by the countrythat invoice depends so much or more on the gas station than on the international market: reposting diesel in Murcia can cost up to 79 more cents per liter between the most expensive and cheapest station. Factors that press up. At the international level, the price of Brent crude – reference in Europe – is around $ 67.27 per barrel. OPEC+ has announced which will increase the offer in 547,000 barrels per day as of September, but this type of movements takes to reflect in the suppliers. Within Spain, electricity remains an inflationary engine. The INE has confirmed That the IPC rose to 2.7%, its highest level since February, due to a price increase of 17.3% and, to a lesser extent, of fuels. Transportation, which includes fuels, plane tickets and combined passenger transport, also rose 0.2%. Facua has warned in a report for the country That price disparity is not a matter of quality, but of competition, location and commercial margins. The risk of calm will last little. The Savings Banks Foundation (Funcas) provides that inflation reaches 3% in September, As detailed in the voice of Galicia. If it is fulfilled, that pressure could be transferred back to gasoline and diesel, especially in a context where electricity and food continue to take care after the end of the VAT reduction. The Ministry of Economy insists that the Spanish economy maintains “a strong dynamism” and that employment and salary increases cushion the impact, but for the average driver the sensation is another: pay the same – or more – for each kilometer. Beyond refueling. In this context, choosing well where to refuel can be a remarkable savings. Tools like The Facua search engine They allow to locate the most economical stations in each area. Even so, reposting in Spain is still somewhat cheaper than in much of Europe. The difference is around 14 cents per liter in gasoline and about 13 cents in diesel in front of the EU average, and reaches 20 cents if compared to the euro zone. Glimpseing the rebound. The slight price drop in August does not change the general photo: the fuel is still expensive and the forces that push it up there are still there. The relief, if it can be called that, could be just an intermediate before the score rises again. In August, as important as choosing fate is to decide where and when to fill the tank. Image | Pxhere Xataka | That almost all cars in a country were electric seemed like a chimera. Until a poor and remote country got it

We thought that gasoline cars were much cleaner than diesel. We did not have the effect of the sun

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For every 100 cars that are sold in Spain, just five are diesel. They are the latest data we have in Spain of registration, which reflects to what extent the diesel (despite having market niches in which It is still profitable) It has become an almost banished fuel in our country. And although it may be weird, it does not make 70% of the cars we bought were diesel moved. In fact, just over a decade ago. In 2014 the diesel lived his golden age. From its 70.06% market share It has plummeted. There are numerous factors that explain the rise and fall of diesel. For years, its price was so cheap (in fact it is still subsidized) than each buyer He poured liter calculations consumed For every 100 kilometers to know how long it would take to make investment profitable since they used to be more expensive motorizations. But over the years, emission regulations were drowning the diesel. Especially after the famous Dieselgate in which it was discovered that the Volkswagen Group (first defendant) and other companies trucan their emissions to offer data within the legality in the homologation exams to, outside them, contaminate more than allowed. With Euro 6, diesel were put much more complicated since 2015. For sample, the comparison between the demands made to diesel engines compared to gasoline and that You can read in this extensive article of Xataka in which all the normative change was explained: Limits for a gasoline engine CO (carbon monoxide): 1.0 g/km HC (total hydrocarbons): 0.10 g/km NOX (nitrogen oxides): 0.060 g/km HC + NOX (hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides): 0.160 g/km (approx.) PM (suspended particles): 0.005 g/km P (number of particles): 6×10^11/km (6×10^12/km for three years for direct injection) Limits for a diesel engine CO (carbon monoxide): 0.50 g/km HC (total hydrocarbons): 0.09 g/km (approx.) NOX (nitrogen oxides): 0.080 g/km HC + Nox (hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides): 0.170 g/km PM (suspended particles): 0.005 g/km P (number of particles): 6×10^11/km The problem is that, due to its own operation, A diesel is less pollutant in CO2 that a gasoline but expels many more particle emissions than They are very dangerous to the health of the human beinglike the Nitrogen oxides (NOX). Although the value was slightly higher for diesel, emission regulations were forcing manufacturers to squeeze the brain. With Euro 5 the particle filter. From Euro 6, the Adblue. These measures ended up banishing diesel engines of smaller cars. Well because they contaminated too much or because innovations to be installed in them It was more expensive both the product that did not make it viable. If we take into account the increase in the product, the bad reputation after the dieselgate and the innumerable statements On a rise in the price of fuel, now it is better understood The sudden drop in sales. All this explanation makes sense. Do you remember that Euro 5 forced to mount particle filters in diesel cars? And that with the Dieselgate the cars reflected some emission figures that were not real? A study now indicates something similar for gasoline cars. It is not that they are cheating, they point out that the emission regulations itself may not be enough to tell us how pollutants are our cars. A little effective particle filter In short, a particle filter is a kind of mesh that catches larger pollutant emissions before expelling them to the atmosphere through the exhaust pipe. Taking advantage of the heat of gases, the mesh takes temperature and burns the particles, reducing emissions. That is a problem in the cars that start and stop every time or those that do many kilometers by city because the engine does not give time to take the temperature enough to burn these particles and the filter ends up collapsing, causing a somewhat expensive breakdown. For some years, emission regulations have forced gasoline cars to also mont particle filters to get emissions not to exceed the allowed limits. However, as a gasoline engine works at a higher temperature, It is more complicated to fall into these types of situations. However, a study published in Science Advances He has pointed out a problem: they are not enough. The particle filter aims to reduce the Volume of fine particles that are expelled to the atmosphere, PM2.5. And they get it, according to researchers but that is not enough to ensure that their toxicity is lower. They point out in their study that it is not enough to measure emissions just after combustion, they should be studied how they behave once in the atmosphere. And how do they behave?: Bad. They point out that, once in the air, the experts expelled are exposed to sunlight and that they cause a series of transformations that make them remarkably more toxic to the human being. They explain in Phys.org that the modification of the particles caused damage to the human DNA and in cells that we find in our bronchi. It is what they call “photochemical aging” that causes particles to increase their toxicity generating “oxygenated volatile compounds, such as carbonilos.” In the article they point out that Dr. Mathilde Delaval, the first author of the study and researcher at Helmholtz Munich, says that “our study shows that we are missing a large part of the panorama by not considering How exhaust gases changeand become more harmful, after leaving the car. “ The study is partially financed by the European Union and in it they have intervened in one way or another universities and laboratories of Germany, Finland and Switzerland. Photo | Nursultan Abakirov and Romanov Nick In Xataka | Diesel or gasoline: what are the differences and which one is better to buy according to your use

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