Annual cost of filling your car has risen by €600 in two years - AA Ireland

The cost of filling your petrol car has increased by 17% in the past year, as fuel prices reach new record highs. 

It also costs nearly €600 more to fill your car now than it did two years ago. 

According to AA Ireland, the national average price of fuel currently stands at 177.3 cents per litre for petrol and 167.6 cents per litre for diesel.

This is an increase of 33% for petrol and an increase of 34% for diesel in the past year. They are now the highest prices AA Ireland has seen since it began recording figures in 1991.

In February 2021, fuel prices were 133.8 cents per litre for petrol, with diesel at 124.9 cents per litre. In February 2020, petrol stood at 141.9c, with diesel at 133.4c.

A recent AA Ireland Twitter poll (501 votes in 24 hours) found that 84% of people have been ‘significantly impacted’ by the high cost of fuel in Ireland.

And the increased cost of filling up your car has also been laid bare by AA Ireland. 

**Figures are based on the average mileage of 17,000km per year (CPCC figures), a 50 litre fuel tank and a travel range of 700km per tank**.

In 2020, filling your petrol car cost €64, when the average price per litre stood at €1.28. This cost you €1,554 to fill your car across the year.

In 2021, the cost of filling your petrol car amounted to €75.50, when the average petrol price was €1.51. This amounted to €1,833 for the year, a €279 increase on 2020 (+18%).

So far in 2022, the average price of petrol stands at €1.77 per litre, so it will cost you €88.50 to fill your vehicle. This would cost you €2,149 for the year and is a €595 increase on 2020 figures (+38%) and a €315 increase on 2021 figures (+17%).

AA Ireland also notes that 60% of the price paid at the pump is tax.

The current prices before tax is added stand at 79.375 cents per litre for petrol and 82.358 cents per litre for diesel.

In a recent Twitter poll, AA Ireland asked about the taxation system (771 votes in 24 hours).

86% of those polled said tax should be reduced at the pumps, while 14% said it should not.