If you’re a regular driver in South Africa, then you’ll know that the price of petrol is constantly fluctuating. A few weeks ago, the price of unleaded petrol rose to R15.20 per litre while diesel remained at R12 per litre. But why do we pay more for diesel than we do for petrol? It all comes down to how each fuel is made and used in our cars:
Whatever the reason, it’s a good idea to fill up now, as diesel is likely to rise again in the coming weeks. The price of oil has risen by almost 40% since September last year, largely because of geopolitical events such as US sanctions on Iran and Venezuela.
Diesel engines use a different combustion process than petrol engines—because of this, diesel engines are more efficient and use less fuel. This means you can expect to get further on your money when you fill up with diesel.
We can attribute the difference in efficiency to how diesel and petrol burn in their respective engine types. Diesel burns much slower than gasoline, so it takes longer for all the fuel inside an engine cylinder to be used up during combustion. This results in less heat being lost through exhaust gases, meaning there’s no need for water or air conditioning systems like those found on petrol cars (which would make them even heavier!).
Diesel is more expensive than petrol because it is more efficient and lasts longer. Diesel engines use a different combustion process than petrol engines—because of this, diesel engines are more efficient and use less fuel. This means you can expect to get further on your money when you fill up with diesel.
South Africa’s fuel prices are determined by the Department of Energy and have been stable for several years. The price of diesel per litre is $2.36, while that of petrol is $1.96 (in US dollars).
As for diesel, the excise duty is Rs. 13.83 per litre and VAT at Rs. 9.47 per litre and the price charged to dealers amounts to Rs 32.96 per litre.
We hope you’ve found this article helpful and informative. If you have any further questions about prices, please leave them in the comments below or contact us for more information.
