You’d think “green” diesel would be cheaper, but no. Modern diesel is actually cleaner than petrol in CO₂ terms per kilometer. Yet it gets taxed like a villain because of older associations with black smoke and asthma. Governments use “health costs” to justify the tax premium.
So here’s the irony: you buy a diesel to save the planet (and your mileage), but the government punishes you for it. You’re saving fuel, but paying more for the privilege. It’s like getting a gym membership that costs triple because you’re “too fit.”
And don’t get me started on adblue and those fancy exhaust filters. They make diesel cars clean but also add to the cost of the fuel itself. It’s a mess.
The Realest Reason: Nobody Likes a Diesel Car Anymore
Remember when everyone bought a diesel sedan because it was “the sensible choice”? Yeah, that wave crashed hard. Post-2015, the VW scandal made diesel the enemy of the people. Car makers panicked and pivoted to hybrids and EVs, leaving diesel as a niche fuel for trucks and vans.
Wholesale diesel at same level as petrol but is 17p pricier at pumps
When demand for diesel in passenger cars dropped, refineries didn’t scale back their diesel output overnight. Instead, they sold the excess to industry at lower prices, but the price at the pump stayed high because… well, because they can. Capitalism, baby.
And here’s a mind-bender: in some countries, diesel is cheaper than petrol if you buy it for heating equipment. But the second you pour it into a car, it gets an extra tax called “red diesel” penalties. It’s literally the same molecule with a different dye.
