Don't be fooled, 'low cost' fuel is NOT the same as expensive fuel

Nowadays, we can easily find differences of 15 or 20 cents per liter at different service stations in our area, depending on the brand that sells them.

Repsol, Moeve (formerly Cepsa), BP, or Shell are well-known brands that offer higher prices with quality as justification for this increase. On the other side of the scale, we have 'low-cost' gas stations, such as Plenoil, Ballenoil, EasyGas, or Avia, among others.

The latter bet on a very competitive price, significantly lower than that offered by the 'premium' competition. But, is the difference really in the product or does it lie in lower operating costs, marketing, personnel, etc.?

The treatment and storage of fuel in the tanks of service stations is also essential

The origin of Spanish fuel

Surely you have read some headline claiming that all fuels sold in Spain are the same, including low-cost fuel.

This statement has some basis in reality, but we cannot say it is entirely true, and we will explain why.

The fuel we use in Spain has a much more international origin than it seems. Although you see Repsol, Moeve, or BP at gas stations, the truth is that Spain produces practically no oil of its own: barely 0.07% of what it consumes.

However, what is bought abroad is not always gasoline or diesel ready to use, but mainly crude oil. This arrives in huge oil tankers at the main Spanish ports, where it is unloaded and sent to national refineries (like those of Repsol or Moeve).

There is where it is transformed into the fuels that end up in your car. Once refined, they go to the tanks of Exolum, the company responsible for distributing them throughout the country.

In parallel, there is also a second route: the import of already refined gasoline or diesel. In that case, the product arrives directly by ship to Exolum's warehouses.

Before it can be unloaded, it undergoes very strict quality controls. Only if it meets European regulations can it enter the system.

What is the real difference between 'premium' and 'low cost' fuel?

Since Exolum is the body responsible for distributing already refined fuel throughout Spain, we can say that the gasoline and diesel that serve as a base are indeed the same for all brands.

However, and here is where the key lies, that is not necessarily the fuel that is served to the consumer, as many marketers add additives to improve their properties.

Therefore, it is not true that all fuels are the same, and beyond indirect aspects such as logistics, advertising, or operational costs at service stations, the final price is also influenced by the quality of the product.

Now, does this mean that 'low cost' fuels are of poor quality or harmful to your vehicle? No, not at all. Some of these companies also incorporate or even develop their own additives, improving the base fuel that comes from Exolum.

We can surely say that well-known companies, the so-called 'premium', all offer a quality product that justifies their higher price.

In the case of 'low cost', the story changes and depends more on each company and its quality policy and objectives, so it becomes more important to identify which ones are trustworthy.

Finally, it is important to highlight that in all cases, the treatment and storage of fuel in the tanks of service stations is also essential, as was demonstrated months ago with a Ballenoil gas station in Valencia.

If the fuel is of quality, but the storage is poor, the consequences can be catastrophic for your vehicle's engine.

In any case, and returning to the origin of the article: is 'low cost' fuel bad? No, it is not. Is it the same as 'premium'? Neither.