If you're visiting from outside Europe, the term "Euro 95" on fuel pumps and on this site might be unfamiliar. This guide explains what it means, how European fuel grades compare to those in the US, UK, and the rest of the world, and why the numbers on the pump are different depending on where you are.
Euro 95 is the standard unleaded gasoline (petrol) sold across Europe, rated at 95 RON (Research Octane Number). It is not the same as US "Regular" (87 AKI). In US terms, Euro 95 sits between mid-grade (89 AKI) and premium (91 AKI). The numbers differ because Europe and the US use different octane measurement systems — the fuel is comparable, but the scales are not.
fuel-prices.eu tracks two fuel types reported weekly by the European Commission Oil Bulletin for all 27 EU member states:
The standard unleaded petrol grade in Europe. Sold at virtually every fuel station in the EU. Conforms to the EN 228 specification. This is what most Europeans put in their cars.
European automotive diesel meeting the EN 590 standard with a maximum of 10 ppm sulfur. Diesel cars are far more common in Europe than in the US, representing 30-40% of the fleet in many EU countries.
The reason European octane numbers look "higher" than American ones is not because the fuel is better — it's because different measurement systems are used. Think of it like Celsius vs Fahrenheit: the temperature is the same, but the number on the thermometer is different.
Used in Europe, Australia, Asia, South America, and most of the world. Determined by running fuel in a test engine at 600 RPM under controlled conditions. This is the number displayed on European fuel pumps.
Used in the United States, Canada, and Brazil. Calculated as the average of RON and MON (Motor Octane Number): AKI = (RON + MON) / 2. Since MON is always lower than RON (typically 8-12 points), the AKI number ends up 4-6 points lower than the RON for the same fuel. This is why US pump numbers look lower — the fuel isn't weaker, the ruler is just different.
Approximate equivalences between European (RON) and US/Canadian (AKI) fuel grades. Note: the conversion is not an exact fixed ratio — it depends on the fuel's composition — but these are the widely accepted approximate mappings.
| Europe (RON) | US / Canada (AKI) | European Name | US Name | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91 RON | 87 AKI | — | Regular | Not commonly sold in Europe |
| 95 RON | 90–91 AKI | Euro 95 / Super | ≈ Mid-grade to Premium | This site tracks this |
| 98 RON | 93 AKI | Euro 98 / Super Plus | Premium / Supreme | Not tracked by EU Oil Bulletin |
| 100 RON | 95 AKI | V-Power Racing / Ultimate | High-perf / Racing | Not at all pumps |
The liquid is the same, but every region has its own name for it. If you're reading about fuel prices internationally, here's a quick reference.
On this site, we use "Euro 95" because that's the exact specification tracked by the European Commission. It's the most precise term for the data we present.
Unlike gasoline, diesel is more standardized globally. European diesel (EN 590) and US Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD #2) are functionally the same product — both have a maximum sulfur content of 10-15 ppm. The main difference is market share: diesel passenger cars are far more common in Europe (30-40% of the fleet) compared to the US (around 3%).
Diesel is not rated by octane. Instead, diesel quality is measured by cetane number — the higher the cetane, the better the ignition quality. European diesel typically has a cetane number of 51+, comparable to US standards.
European petrol increasingly contains ethanol blends, similar to the US. You may see labels like E5 (up to 5% ethanol) or E10 (up to 10% ethanol) at European pumps. Both are Euro 95 RON — the ethanol content doesn't change the octane classification.
E85 (85% ethanol / 15% gasoline) is available in some European countries (notably Sweden and France) but is a niche fuel and is not included in the EU Oil Bulletin data on this site.