What is the most affordable moment to refuel?
Daily fuel price changes are now happening more frequently, but the price differences are getting smaller. A recent analysis from the ADAC showed that the gap between the highest and lowest prices in a day in May this year was 6.4 cents for E10 gasoline and 7.3 cents for diesel. That's compared to 8.1 cents and 8.6 cents a year ago. This equates to a decrease of 1.7 cents for gasoline and 1.3 cents for diesel. These prices were collected from over 14,000 gas stations in Germany.
Despite the smaller differences, tanking at night is still the cheapest option. However, there's been a slight change in the time frame for the lowest price. "Last year, the cheapest time was between 8:00 and 10:00 pm," explains Christian Laberer, ADAC expert. "Now, there are two time periods: between 7:00 and 8:00 pm and between 10:00 and 11:00 pm." In between these times, there's a small peak that raises the price by 2 cents.
The number of price changes during the day has also increased from seven to eight. The highest price was recorded by the ADAC at 7:15 am. The price then drops in a series of waves. For the first time, it falls significantly below the daily average at 11:45 am.
Even though the differences are smaller, Laberer still suggests comparing prices and selecting the right time to fill up to save you money. "Someone who can reach a cheap gas station during a cheap time will save more than 10 cents per liter compared to an expensive gas station during an inconvenient time," he says.
This tip is also useful for your summer travels. "If you're going on vacation, you should try to fill up the night before, which is cheaper than in the morning. Not only are the prices higher in the morning, but you'll also save time and avoid visiting the expensive gas stations on the highway," he adds.
