[TR] Fuel cost - for fun?

[John Macartney]

I entirely agree. National taxation has a major impact on fuel prices and there are huge variations. I only submitted my earlier post in case any lister was considering the UK or Europe as a vacation option this year and seeking car rental. Frankly, why anyone would want to come to either venue is a bit beyond me. For me, the mountains in the South Island of New Zealand which I saw many years ago are infinitely attractive and to say goodbye to the UK for good.

In Europe, while there are fairly small variances from country to country for gas, LPG and diesel, the US has pretty well always been far cheaper than a lot of countries elsewhere in the world. Some years ago, I noticed gasoline in Canada was noticeably more costly than the US and California was far more expensive than other US states. The other advantage you have is crude is priced in US dollars coming out of the ground. That’s fine if the US dollar is your currency, but when it isn’t, whatever currency is being converted to buy crude, is at the mercy of volatile currency exchange rates between the buying currency and the USD.
The bottom line is that while fuel prices are unlikely to dramatically change from where they have compared regionally over the decades, industry, commerce and the private individual are inevitably going to get financially shafted by national governments and inter alia currency fluctuations. For the most part, those changes up in increasing costs lie very much in the hands of politicians and geopolitical events over which Joe and Josie Public can exert absolutely zero control. The “Rocket Feather” situation on taxation and price control is with us yet again, while those that govern us don’t really give a toss, despite their periodic whining denials to the contrary. Rant off.

JM

> On 12 May 2026, at 23:26, John Innis <jdinnis at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Do bear in mind that in additional to the various differences in sources of materials and transportation cost, there is also a considerable difference in the tax structure between the US and other parts of the world.  US federal gasoline tax is $0.184 per gallon.  In addition to that we have various excise tax imposed by states, some as high as $0.60 per gallon. There are also various state and local sales tax, which is based on the total cost of the fuel, rather than a set per gallon tax.  Generally the highest total tax on gasoline in the US is about $0.90 per gallon.  Compare that to the UK, which I understand has a tax of 52.95p per litre fuel duty plus 20%VAT.  Basically half of the cost of fuel in the UK is taxes.  Vs in the US it is more like 20%.  
> 
>> On Tue, May 12, 2026 at 3:07 PM John Macartney <johnbmacartney at gmx.com> wrote:
>> My iPad news feed tells me lots of people in the US are getting ‘rather agitated’ and ‘a bit miffed’ at gasoline prices hitting the USD4.50 per US gallon. 
>> 
>> So?
>> 
>> I went to fill up our daily driver today (Kia Sportage hybrid) and arriving at the supermarket, saw that 95 octane E10 unleaded has gone up yet again, so a part-refill was soon decided.
>> 
>>  For comparative purposes, the equivalent cost in USDs using UK prices is this. Our fuel is sold now only in litres and no longer imperial gallons as heretofore.
>> 
>> One US gallon is equal to 3.785 litres.
>> One litre here costs GBP 1.59 per litre
>> One US gallon in GB pounds is 3.785x1.59 = GBP6.02
>> Multiply the GBP6.02 by 1.35 to turn them into USDs and the figure is USD8.127 per US gallon price in the UK. Europe isn’t too much different either.
>> 
>> Basically, double what our ‘a bit miffed’ enthusiast friends are paying on t’other side o’t pond, so count your blessings, friends.
>> 
>>  It broke my heart when I sold my two Triumph Big Sixes some years ago but if I’d kept them, as sure as hell I’d no longer be able to afford keeping them to enjoy their continued and delightful use. Perhaps those who paid me a lot less than either was worth at the time, are now limited in only being able to look at them and making brrrmmm brrrmmm noises sitting in the driving seat. I hope so. The only good news coming out of this chaotic international bloody mess both at home and abroad is the Hybrid Kia Sportage with part time electric power and regenerative braking is still giving us 57mpg on mixed rural and urban use. Being very gentle, 61-63mpg is also available - but for how much longer?
>> 
>> Jonmac
>> ** triumphs at autox.team.net **
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