U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Vehicle Technologies Office

Fact #496: November 19, 2007
Diesel Prices in the U.S. and Selected Countries: Cost and Taxes

The Energy Information Administration compiles diesel prices from selected European countries to compare with U.S. diesel prices. Since 1997, the United Kingdom had the highest diesel prices. The U.S. had the lowest prices for every year in the data series. In 2007, taxes accounted for only 15% of the price of diesel fuel in the U.S. – down from 37% in 1997. The United Kingdom had the highest tax share of the listed countries; three-quarters of the diesel fuel price in 1997 and 2002 was attributed to taxes.

Diesel Price: Taxes and Cost
Graph showing the cost and tax of a gallon of diesel in the United States and six European countries in 1997, 2002, and 2007. For more detailed information, see the table below.

Supporting Information

Diesel Taxes and Cost, 1997, 2002, and 2007
  Belgium France Germany Italy Netherlands United
Kingdom		 United
States
  1997
Diesel Cost 1.06 0.82 0.96 0.99 1.05 0.91 0.73
Diesel Taxes 1.45 1.67 1.48 1.82 1.61 2.61 0.43
Total Diesel Price 2.51 2.49 2.44 2.81 2.66 3.52 1.16
% Tax 58% 67% 61% 65% 61% 74% 37%
  2002
Diesel Cost 1.26 1.05 1.13 1.21 1.27 1.11 0.99
Diesel Taxes 1.64 1.96 2.09 2.05 1.78 3.39 0.45
Total Diesel Price 2.90 3.00 3.22 3.26 3.05 4.51 1.44
% Tax 57% 65% 65% 63% 58% 75% 31%
  2007
Diesel Cost 2.99 2.73 2.93 3.06 3.05 2.61 2.59
Diesel Taxes 2.76 3.25 3.54 3.32 2.99 4.80 0.45
Total Diesel Price 5.76 5.98 6.47 6.38 6.05 7.41 3.03
% Tax 48% 54% 55% 52% 50% 65% 15%

Source: European Commission, Oil Bulletin, and U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, Weekly Petroleum Status Report, October 2007, Table 16.

 

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