You pull into the station on a freezing January morning, fuel light blinking, the air tasting faintly of exhaust and coffee from the mini-mart. You glance at the glowing digits on the sign—€1.89, €1.79, maybe €0.45/kWh if there’s a charger tucked in the corner—but it’s all just noise. You swipe, you fill, you sigh. What does any of it really mean over a year of driving? Most of us never stop long enough to find out.
That small act is about to change—very quietly.
A New Number at the Pump
Starting 12 January 2026, service stations across several EU countries, including France, must display an estimated average cost per 100 kilometres for every energy type they sell—right there on the pump, next to the usual price per litre or per kilowatt-hour.
It sounds small, but it’s a shift in perspective. For the first time, you won’t just see how much fuel costs. You’ll see how much driving costs.
The new rule comes from European and national consumer-information policies under the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the DGCCRF, following the transparency principles outlined by the European Commission and published via official sites like service-public.fr and ecologie.gouv.fr.
Instead of juggling litres, tank size, or vague miles-per-gallon math, you’ll find a clear, relatable line:
“Average cost: €7.10 per 100 km.”
That’s it. Straightforward, comparable, and in your line of sight before you even squeeze the handle.
How It Works
The per-100 km figures are calculated using standardised reference consumption data—so every station plays by the same rules. They don’t get to invent their own numbers or promote a brand-friendly version of reality.
Here’s a rough example, based on typical reference data and mid-January fuel averages:
| Energy Type | Reference Consumption | Unit Price (example) | Estimated Cost / 100 km |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol (E5) | 6.4 L / 100 km | €1.89 / L | €12.10 |
| Petrol (E10) | 6.4 L / 100 km | €1.79 / L | €11.45 |
| Diesel (B7) | 5.2 L / 100 km | €1.83 / L | €9.52 |
| E85 Bioethanol | 7.3 L / 100 km | €0.99 / L | €7.23 |
| Electric | 18 kWh / 100 km | €0.35 / kWh | €6.30 |
Illustrative only; actual values depend on official reference data.
You’ll still pay the same price at the till—this is transparency, not taxation—but your mind now has a way to compare apples to apples.
Why Regulators Care
For years, motorists have been trapped in what economists call “unit confusion.” Petrol’s in litres, electricity’s in kilowatt-hours, LPG’s in kilos, hydrogen’s in who-knows-what. It’s impossible for ordinary drivers to compare fuels without a spreadsheet.
Authorities want to end that fog. By showing a common cost scale, they hope to nudge drivers toward informed choices—and maybe even greener ones—without forcing anyone’s hand.
An energy economist I spoke to summed it up perfectly:
“People don’t need complex models. They need an anchor. Cost per 100 km matches how we actually think about driving.”
It’s the same mental math we already use for commute lengths, fuel reimbursements, or lease agreements. The display simply brings that thinking to the pump.
Turning Data Into Daily Sense
Before you grab the nozzle, take three seconds. Glance at that new line and ask: What does my normal week cost me?
Let’s say your daily round trip is 40 km. With petrol at €12 per 100 km, you’re spending roughly €4.80 per day—around €1,200 a year if you drive five days a week. Switch to a compatible fuel or EV charging at €7 per 100 km, and that annual cost drops near €700. That’s not a lab experiment; that’s groceries, or your next weekend away.
The beauty lies in the mental shortcut. You can now:
- Compare fuels your car already supports (E5 vs E10, or diesel vs B7 blends).
- Estimate yearly savings by multiplying the difference per 100 km by your own mileage.
- Understand EV economics before you even own one. With regulated electricity prices published by CRE, you’ll start to build an intuitive sense of what “charging” really costs.
- Use the data for commuting claims or job comparisons—real numbers instead of guesswork.
A Subtle Cultural Shift
The change won’t make your next fill-up cheaper, and it won’t shorten the queue on Sunday nights. The smell of petrol will still cling to your jacket. But something shifts quietly: the meaning of the numbers.
Fuel pricing, for decades, has lived in abstraction—per litre, per kilowatt-hour, per tank. This new label translates it into the language of distance, which is how real life works.
The moment you see “€7 per 100 km,” your mind instantly connects to your daily route, your next road trip, your monthly budget.
In that sense, it’s more than a regulatory footnote. It’s a nudge toward awareness—financial and environmental.
What It Doesn’t Change
No, stations aren’t raising prices to cover a new display board. The rule doesn’t modify taxation or fuel margins. It simply adds information to help you interpret what’s already there. Enforcement and calculation guidelines are handled by national consumer authorities to keep it consistent.
In short:
- Same fuel, same price.
- More context.
The Road Ahead
Whether this becomes just another ignored sticker or a quiet revolution depends on how drivers respond. But the first time you pause at that new label—maybe just out of curiosity—you might feel a flicker of perspective.
For a few seconds, the pump stops being a black box of numbers and becomes a mirror of how you move through the world.
And that’s really the question behind the whole rule:
If you could truly see what every 100 km costs you, would you change the way you drive—or the way you choose your next car.
FAQs
What exactly changes at the pump from January 2026?
Stations must display an estimated cost per 100 km for each energy type sold, alongside the usual unit price.
Who calculates these figures?
They’re derived from standard consumption data defined by public authorities, ensuring uniformity across stations.
Does this affect how much I pay for fuel?
No. Prices per litre or per kWh remain the same—the new figure is purely informational.
Why per 100 km and not per mile?
Because official European consumption data uses litres or kWh per 100 km. It’s the standard scale in EU regulations.
Will the apply outside France?
Yes, the approach aligns with broader EU transparency goals, and other member states are gradually adopting similar obligations.
