Without doubt, American drivers are feeling the pinch at the gas pump again as fuel prices have recently surged well past the $3 per gallon mark, recording a 20 per cent increase in the past year. According to the U.S. Energy information Administration, the nationwide average in America on February 21, 2011 was $3.19 for a gallon of regular gasoline (€compared to $2.66 the same day a year ago.
Nevertheless, that's nothing compared to Europe where motorists paid between $6.21 and $9.08 per gallon in mid-February, 2011, according to data from the European Road Information Centre. The countries with the cheapest unleaded gasoline were Latvia at $6.21 per gallon or €1.19 per liter, and Bulgaria and Estonia, both at $6.28 per gallon or €1.20 per liter.
On the other side of the spectrum, we find Norway where motorists paid a whopping $9.08 per gallon or €1.75 per liter, and the Netherlands at $8.59 per gallon or €1.65 per liter.
One of the main reasons for the huge difference in fuel prices is that European governments put a much higher tax on gas compared to the USA. Whereas taxes in many European countries account for more than 60% of the total price, in the U.S., the Federal and average State tax made up for just 13% of the price of a gallon of regular gasoline in January 2011, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
Unfortunately for motorists, the recent troubles across the Middle East can only have a negative effect on oil prices in the foreseeable future.
_____________________FUEL PRICES: USA vs EUROPE____________________
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Notes:
*Figures are converted to US dollars based on the currency exchange rates on February 23, 2011
*European fuel prices were sourced from the European Road Information Centre (ERIC) and are for February 18, 2011.
*USA prices were sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), and are for February 14, 2011.
31 Comments:
they attacked iraq and now they got cheap oil!
Be honest now. Did you read the article or did you skip straight to the pictures?
"Whereas taxes in many European countries account for more than 60% of the total price, in the U.S., the Federal and average State tax made up for just 13% of the price of a gallon of regular gasoline in January 2011"
It's not our fault that your government taxes the hell of out you
So if you take out the taxation on these prices then you will see the cost of gasoline. Then realize that, in some areas in Europe, the cost of gasoline is lower there than the U.S.
Will be interesting to see the prices as the weather warms up and inflation takes hold.
As a Californian, I think the federal and state taxes should be a little higher. What works for cigarettes would work for gasoline. If taxes were significantly increased, everyone would be demanding greener vehicles. EVERYONE! Most everyone I know complain about a 50c increase. I'd complain too, but its necessary to cut back and go greener.
With regard to tobacco in 2009, "The increases, which raise the federal cigarette tax from 39 cents a pack to $1.01, applies to all tobacco products...
...Before the tax hike, cigarette prices averaged about $5 a pack...
...In the past, a 10% price increase reduced cigarette consumption about 4%..."
Bruce E. Ellison, M.D.
USA should increase the tax to the european level. And use that money to create more efficient public transport.
Well, indeed our governments tax the hell out of us. True.
But when I get really sick, it don't have to sell my house.
And I pay max. 60$ a year to insure my whole family.
In the end, I guess it gets balanced out when you take everybody into account. But your riches get richer and our system takes care of those who need to be taken care of.
turkey is most expensive but not in the list?
The prices don't get any lower. And all those taxes go to feed useless bureaucrats in Brussels.
It is mostly depends on what are the taxation and the standard of living. Because here in Bulgaria taxation are over 50% of the price itself and the minimum wage is about 240 leva which is about 120 Euros or 170 USD. For instance in Spain it is 640 Euros but we all pay the same amount of money in Euros, right :(
Update: price of diesel in Portugal €1,32
In Germany it´s a whopping 67,8 % of the price just for taxes. Car owners are also known as "cash cow of the nation" :)
So let´s see how long it takes the US government to discover this as a new income resource...
Gas in my country is taxed a 20% VAT + an excise that is adjusted every second tuesday.
What a surprise to see Norway at the most expensive end for fuel prices, as well as everything else! It explains why there are so many Thinks, Buddys, Reva's, electric cars around here, electricity is about the only thing that is good value in this country!
At the first post:
That's why attacked. duh.
Sorry your country didn't have the balls or power to do the same.
83 cents per liter in the USA stop complaining, here in Canada (Quebec) if it's below 1,20$ per liter we go fill our tanks cause it's cheap!!
Does anybody know the breakdown of the taxes in the UK? What do their taxes pay for compared to ours?
Turkey is not part of Europe and I hope it will never be!!!
Can somebody add the gas price at UAE (dubai, abu dhabi etc)?? ..then we gonna cry all together for what we pay in gas everyday...
try this one:
http://www.kshitij.com/research/petrol.shtml
price of a gallon in UAE is 0,85 dollars :-)
It is funny that here in UAE, Water cost more than the gasoline :)
Reg; "Sorry your country didn't have the balls or power to do the same."
To all,
A comment from one of the Congenitally stupid. All countries have them. No country is exempt, we are all burdened by the weight of their unfortunate stupidity.
What kind of car is featured in the article?
"What kind of car is featured in the article?"
The car in featured in the article is a Vauxhall/Opel Tigra. It's based on the on the last modeal Corsa. As far as I'm aware, it's no longer made - The one the photo is from 2004
^...Thanks to above for the info on the car featured in the posting......Appreciated.
Just another car we 'can't get' in the states...damn!
Need to win the lottery so I can buy a villa in Italy or casa in Spain/Portugal, then I can indulge in the varied motoring devices available on the Euro continent.
Looking back over the prices from 1990-2011. From 1990-2005, 15 years the prices were between 1.07-1.67. Then in 2005 it began to spike. It only took 6 years for the price to jump from 1.50 to over 3.00 per gallon, with speculation that it may reach 5.00 by 2012. Now if it were a matter of supply and demand, or the termoil in the middle east, why now? There has always been a problem with supply or termoil in the middle east. Thats not the problem, the problem is a greedy government that is not looking after its own people. Oil is necessary for everyone to funtion, and it will never run out. The economy hinges on the price of oil and while the oil companies have record breaking profits, the american people suffer, as doe our economy. We must find away to cap the price of oil, so that our country can revive.
^Oil will never run out? Someone here is brainwashed. How about getting the US OFF its oil dependence to drive prices down and maybe give us a chance to secure some sort of energy security?
I'm assuming you're American, and my question to you is - do you ever think about the future? Or indeed, anything at all??
How naive some of you are... more government control is NOT the answer!!! And as for public transportation, in large metro cities, that's great but not possible in a lot of areas. Even if it were feasible, raising taxes and essentially rates on gasoline would also cause public transportation to significantly increase their rates. Do you really think public transits are willing to lose money? The US needs to become more dependent on itself when it comes to oil... we have the ability to support ourselves if only the government that so many of you seem to want more of would get off their high horses and relinquish a bit of their "control" over the American public and let us "drill baby drill". Socialism is great on paper but history proves it never works so get your noses out of the books and practice living... I want to keep the money I make, not give it back just so I can help support an unemployed individual (often times one that chooses not to work)...
"drill baby drill".
The weakening cry of the defeatists (and creationists).
When that runs out, you'll be back sucking on the teat of some other nation and you'll have achieved nothing.
Get real or get left behind yankee.
As a Norwegian . . I read the US complaints as comics. You really DO NOT understand what taxes is.
When you pay over $200 to fill up the car with diesel/gas. If you smoke you pay $15-16 a pack.. If you buy a liter of vodka you pay $70-80.. if you buy a car you have to pay 2-3 times as much as you do in the US..
You know what I'm talking about.
High fuel and car prices result in overall much higher prices too because of transportation costs..
On the other hand.. we get free medical care, 1 year maternaty leave with pay, free schools, including universities all over the world, free dentals for kids up to their 18th birthday. After that they get a reduced price until their 25. We get good sosial benefits too, and 5 weeks paid vacation. If you are poor the state will pay for what you need. But nothing comes for free. Hence the taxes.
I just adapt. I don't smoke, I don't drink that much and I don't drive my 17 year old car more then what's nessesary. I pay about 20% income tax by the way.
I spend my money on my house and garden. Got a really nice home cinema room, two nice boats and the rest is used on my hobbies like diving, kayaking, surfing, rock climbing and hiking - and of course hollidays.
In Venezuela I paid less for a full tank of gas then a bottle of water and a hot dog cost in Norway.
The high taxes result in very good state economy too. No need to cut costs, since they get so much tax money.
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