Date Published: 05/11/2025

Petrol prices in Spain could hit €2 per litre by 2027 under new EU rules

Brussels' latest climate measures could see drivers in Spain paying significantly more at the pump

Motorists across Spain could be looking at petrol prices of €2 per litre by 2027, a hefty 35% increase on what we're paying today. The culprit is a new EU carbon trading scheme designed to phase out traditional combustion engines entirely.

Restrictions and rising costs are only set to intensify until both petrol stations and the vehicles that use them disappear completely. The sale of new petrol and diesel cars is expected to be banned by 2035, a move that’s been strongly backed by Spain.

Drivers could be in for even more headaches as Spain is also facing pressure from Brussels to scrap the tax advantage that diesel currently enjoys, which would push diesel prices closer to petrol rates even before the carbon scheme kicks in.

Right now, Spain's car fleet tells quite a different story from the EU's electric dreams. Around 60% of vehicles run on diesel, with another 34% using petrol. Electric cars barely register in the statistics.

What's more, according to the Spanish Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers (ANFAC), the average vehicle age sits at 14.5 years and keeps climbing. The reality is that many people in Spain simply can't afford to buy new cars, let alone pricey electric vehicles.

The scheme causing all this concern is officially called the Emissions Trading System for Buildings and Road Transport, known as RCDE2 for short. When it launches in 2027, companies will have to pay for every tonne of CO₂ they generate by purchasing allowances through auctions.

For many fuel suppliers, these new business costs could prove impossible to bear, potentially forcing smaller operators to close up shop.

The RCDE2 won't just target petrol stations either. It applies to all fuel suppliers, whether they're selling petrol, diesel, natural gas or anything else. That's how the cost of a litre of petrol could reach the €2 mark.

For now, these figures are expert predictions rather than certainties, so we'll have to wait until 2027 to see how companies compete for those CO₂ allowances and what the real impact on prices turns out to be.

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Alliance Pioneer Group (APG) is a private ambulance provider and transport company based in the United Kingdom specialising in patient transfer services across the UK and internationally.

For those in Spain, APG offers expert medical repatriation services to the UK and commercial medical escorts. Perhaps you’re returning home from abroad due to illness or you require medical support during a commercial flight; whatever the case, APG’s experienced team ensures safe, seamless and compassionate care throughout your journey.

Whether by air or on the ground, APG can also offer transport services both to and from Spain in a luxury vehicle for those that do not necessarily need an ambulance or medical team to accompany them.

Why choose Alliance Pioneer Group

Alliance Pioneer Group medical repatriations to the UK from abroad

With more than 20 years of experience, APG are experts in their field and are even partnered with the NHS, along with other commercial and private customers.

Services include medical case management, repatriation and execution of wills and testaments. In this way, APG works closely with all customers to ensure that the safest and most appropriate levels of care are applied to each individual patient, helping them to receive the medical and non-emergency international transfers they need.

The APG medical team consists of paramedics, nurses and doctors from a range of specialities and experience and they will always aim to provide you with the very best advice, expertise and care.