Gas/diesel oil was the main energy source in road transport in the EU in 2022, while Cyprus had the largest share of use of motor gaoline among member states, according to data released by Eurostat, the statistical service of the EU.

Gas/ diesel oil and motor gasoline remained the leading energy sources in road transport in 2022, according to the statistics.

In the EU, gas/diesel oil (excluding the biofuel portion) was the main source of energy in road transport in 2022, with a 65% share. Motor gasoline (excluding the biofuel portion) followed at 25%, ahead of renewables and biofuels (6%), liquefied petroleum gases (2%), natural gas (1%) and electricity (0.3%).

In most EU countries, gas/diesel oil was the primary source of energy for road transport, though there were noticeable differences between the countries.

The highest shares were reported in Latvia (80%) and Lithuania (76%), followed by Ireland, Austria, and Spain, each at 74%. In contrast, the lowest shares were recorded in Sweden (45%), Cyprus (46%) and the Netherlands (48%).

The share of motor gasoline was highest in Cyprus (50%), the Netherlands (42%), and Malta (36%). The lowest shares were reported in Lithuania (13%), Latvia (14%) and Bulgaria (15%).

Energy consumption in transport at pre-pandemic levels

According to the statistics, in 2022 transport activities accounted for 31% of the final energy consumption in the EU, which made it the highest consumer of final energy, ahead of households (27%) and industry (25%).

Road transport was the largest energy consumer, responsible 74% of all energy consumption in transport, or 10,996 petajoules (PJ). Water transport accounted for 13% of all energy consumed in transport (1,935 PJ), followed by air (11%; 1,700 PJ) and rail transport (1%; 214 PJ).

Compared with 2021, air transport recorded the highest increase in energy consumption, with a striking 57% rise. In 2022, energy consumption levels in air transport were approaching the pre-pandemic figures, following sharp declines in 2020 and 2021.

Energy consumption also increased, if not as rapidly in road transport, which also approached 2019 levels.