Petrol motorists are facing charges of 16.54p per mile, according to the latest RAC data, which shows average UK forecourt prices at 131.9p per litre for unleaded and 140.7p for diesel. By early February, petrol prices had fallen by 3p over the past month, with diesel seeing an identical decrease.
The motoring website Nimblefins reports that UK petrol cars achieve an average fuel economy of 36mpg, meaning that at current prices, running a petrol vehicle costs 16.54p per mile, excluding additional expenses such as maintenance.
It comes as petrol stations are now required by law to report pump price changes to a Government scheme, in a bid to make it easier for drivers to find cheaper fuel. From this week, all filling stations must report their prices within 30 minutes of a change, and third-party fuel-price apps and websites can access data from the Fuel Finder database. New Government guidance includes instructions for drivers to report discrepancies between forecourt prices and online figures.
AA president Edmund King said: “For too long, UK drivers have been hostage to the whims of fuel retailers and not being able to see that a far-lower pump price could be found just down the road. Fuel station owners who priced below the artificially high levels of nearby rivals but had little way of getting that message out to potential customers now have the means to do so.”
The government has also announced a new pay-per-mile levy targeting electric vehicles. Chancellor Rachel Reeves revealed plans to introduce a 3p-per-mile charge for EVs, due to come into force from 2028. Combined with typical home charging costs, this would place the running expenses of an electric car between 5p and 11p per mile. The measure would cost EV owners an average of £250 annually, and motoring organisations have raised concerns that such taxation could deter people from switching to electric vehicles.
