What Is the CO2 Price?
Since January 1, 2021, a national CO2 price has applied in Germany for fossil fuels and heating fuels. The Fuel Emissions Trading Act (BEHG) requires fuel traders to purchase emission certificates for every ton of CO2 produced by burning their products. The costs are passed on to consumers -- directly visible in the price per liter at the gas station.
Price Development 2021-2026
The CO2 price has risen continuously since its introduction: it started at EUR 25/ton in 2021, rose to EUR 30 in 2022, stayed at EUR 30 in 2023 (pause due to energy crisis), increased to EUR 45 in 2024, EUR 50 in 2025, and stands at EUR 55 per ton of CO2 for 2026.
How the CO2 Price Affects the Price per Liter
The conversion is simple: burning one liter of petrol produces 2.31 kg of CO2, one liter of diesel produces 2.65 kg of CO2. At a CO2 price of EUR 55/ton, the following surcharge applies: Petrol: 2.31 kg x EUR 0.055/kg = 12.7 cents per liter. Diesel: 2.65 kg x EUR 0.055/kg = 14.6 cents per liter.
This means: of every liter of petrol you fill up in 2026, almost 13 cents go to the CO2 price. With a 50-liter tank, that is EUR 6.35 per fill-up -- at 20 fill-ups per year, this adds up to EUR 127.
Natural Gas, LPG and the CO2 Levy
Alternative fossil fuels are also affected: Natural Gas (CNG): 2.79 kg CO2/kg, resulting in 15.3 cents/kg surcharge. LPG: 1.64 kg CO2/L, resulting in 9.0 cents/L surcharge. Natural gas is thus more heavily burdened than LPG, as it produces more CO2 per kilogram. Electricity for electric cars is exempt from the CO2 price, as the electricity sector already participates in the European Emissions Trading System.
Outlook: EU ETS 2 from 2027
From 2027, the national CO2 price will be integrated into the new European Emissions Trading System for buildings and transport (EU ETS 2). Then the market -- supply and demand for certificates -- will determine the price rather than politicians. Experts expect a price of EUR 100-150/ton by 2030.
What does this mean for the price per liter? At EUR 100/ton: petrol +23.1 cents/L, diesel +26.5 cents/L. At EUR 150/ton: petrol +34.7 cents/L, diesel +39.8 cents/L. Fossil fuels could thus become 20-40 cents per liter more expensive by 2030 than today -- solely due to the CO2 price.
What Can You Do?
The CO2 price is a deliberate incentive to switch to low-emission mobility. In the short term, fuel-efficient driving helps: every liter saved also saves the CO2 levy. In the medium term, it is worth looking at hybrid or electric vehicles, which are not or less affected by the CO2 price. In the long term, e-fuels and hydrogen will offer alternatives, but their availability and prices remain uncertain.