Faced with rising fuel costs and energy prices, Total is announcing a discount of €5 per 50-litre tank at more than 1,000 of its service stations in rural areas. This operation will start on February 14, 2022 and will last three months.
Week after week, fuel prices continue a seemingly inexorable rise. The latest government data on the subject show an average price of around €1.69 for a liter of diesel, €1.73 for SP95-E10 and €1.82 for SP98. To help motorists deal with it but also to take care of their image, various players in the sector are implementing support measures. The E.Leclerc group is thus offering its fuels at cost price until March 6, and today it is the turn of Total, which must now be called TotalEnergies, to make a move. The French brand offers a refueling discount at some of its service stations. For its part, the State has announced that it will raise the scale of mileage allowances that can be deducted from taxes by 10%,
€5 discount for 50 liters of fuel
From February 14, 2022 and for three months, TotalEnergies will offer a €5 discount on each 50-litre fill-up of fuel made in one of its 1,150 stations installed in rural areas. This will more specifically concern municipalities with fewer than 6,000 inhabitants and the roads that connect them. This operation will apply in mainland France but also in overseas resorts. The discount will be made directly at the cash desk. Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies, says he wants to help his ” customers in rural areas for whom the use of the car is essential in everyday life “. The list of affected stations will be published next weekend on the company’s website.
TotalEnergies also gives a boost to its gas subscribers, via a “gas cheque” of €100. It will be deducted from the next bill for the 200,000 customers who were eligible for Government “energy vouchers” in 2021. The company estimates the cost of these measures at around 50 million euros, or 30% of the margins of its activities linked to fuel, gas and electricity.
TO READ. Fuel prices. The increased mileage allowance scale
City dwellers and their vehicles not affected
Municipalities with more than 6,000 inhabitants and a large number of the 3,700 TotalEnergies stations scattered on French roads will not, however, be the only ones to be excluded. The effect of the fuel supplier’s offer will also remain limited by the number of vehicles that can benefit from it. On most cars in segments A (mini-city cars/SUV), B (urban models) or even C (compact models), the tank capacity rarely exceeds 50 litres. Especially since this capacity has tended to be reduced over time to save a handful of CO2. Count for example 48 L for a Renault Captur TCe 90, 50 L all round for a Citroën C4 BlueHDi 130 or 45 L for a Skoda Octavia TDI 116. Imposing cars are more favored by their road vocation, such as a BMW 320i (59 L) or a Mercedes E 220d (66 L). Some family vehicles will also be able to benefit from it provided they fill up completely, such as a Peugeot 5008 BlueHDi 180 (56 L) or a Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace TDI 150 (58 L).
As mentioned above, this announcement is also a way for TotalEnergies to polish its image, the group having been the subject of criticism since last fall for having made record profits in 2021. It could also help to bring back some motorists who left refuel at service stations in supermarkets. Nevertheless, for those who will be able to take advantage of it, this discount of 10 cents per liter is still welcome in this period of pumping up… of the wallet. TotalEnergies is the first oil company to offer aid. Hopefully others will follow suit, if only to avoid losing too many customers.
