In short: A van up to 3.5 t uses about 9–10 l of diesel per 100 km on long-distance work (10–12 l loaded on the motorway). A 7.5 t truck uses 18–20 l, and a 40 t articulated truck 22–34 l depending on its age. The German haulage association BGL uses 33–34 l/100 km for 40 t long haul in its cost model. Euro 6 trucks also need around 1.3–1.5 l of AdBlue per 100 km.
Consumption by vehicle class
| Vehicle class | Typical consumption | Reference values from sources |
|---|---|---|
| Van up to 3.5 t | 9–10 l/100 km, loaded on motorway 10–12 l | Mercedes Sprinter 317 CDI 3.5 t: 9.2 l WLTP (ADAC); Austrian fleet average 2024: 8.6 l (Umweltbundesamt AT); FleetGO: approx. 11 l |
| 7.5 t truck | 18–20 l/100 km | FleetGO: 18–21 l; Austrian fleet average for trucks up to 18 t, 2024: 17.9 l |
| 40 t artic, Euro 5 | 31–36 l/100 km | — |
| 40 t artic, Euro 6 (built 2014–2024) | 26–32 l/100 km | ICCT/TU Graz: 32.6 l (typical Euro VI tractor-trailer, long-haul cycle) |
| 40 t artic, new models from 2024 | 22–26 l/100 km fully loaded, flat route | DAF XG+ 480 test: 22.25 l |
| BGL costing value, 40 t long haul | 33–34 l/100 km | regional 34–39 l, local 40–42 l |
These are benchmarks, not guarantees. Austria's Umweltbundesamt gives a 2024 fleet average of 32.2 l/100 km for 40 t artics and 28.2 l for trucks over 18 t, including older vehicles and mixed traffic. Manufacturer tests on set routes come in much lower.
What drives consumption
- Payload: In a study funded by the UK Department for Transport (Imise, 2007), a 44 t articulated tipper used about 86% more fuel fully loaded than empty (roughly 51 vs 27.5 l/100 km after conversion). The test vehicle was a tipper, not a typical curtainsider, but the direction is clear: empty running costs much less and full loads cost more.
- Topography: The gap is large. Fully loaded on the flat S5 expressway in Poland, the DAF XG+ 480 averaged 22.25 l/100 km, with under 22 l on the flat sections. A Scania R480 Euro 6 needed 39.73 l on a mostly hilly winter test route with gradients of up to 5%.
- Speed and traffic: The DAF test averaged 82.7 km/h. Roundabouts and stop-and-go traffic pushed consumption to 23.5 l. That is also why BGL's value for local distribution (40–42 l) is higher than its long-haul value.
- Aerodynamics: Cab shape, side skirts and camera mirrors all play a part. Eurotransport reports that camera mirrors on the Actros are claimed to save up to 1.5% fuel.
- Tyres and powertrain: The 40ton.net test trailer ran on low-rolling-resistance tyres. In the 2018 ICCT/TU Graz measurements, a typical Euro VI tractor-trailer used 9% more fuel than the best in class, mainly because of powertrain differences.
AdBlue consumption
Euro 6 trucks also consume AdBlue. Test results include 1.32 l/100 km for the DAF XF 450 (Green Truck 2023, with 21.26 l diesel), 1.33 l/100 km for the Scania R480 Euro 6, and 1.5 l/100 km for the Mercedes Actros 1851 (with 33.3 l diesel on a heavy test route). That works out to about 3–6% of diesel volume. Use 1.3–1.5 l/100 km for costing.
How to calculate fuel cost per trip
The formula is:
Diesel cost = distance (km) × consumption (l/100 km) ÷ 100 × diesel price (€/l)
According to the EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, diesel in Germany cost €2.437/l including taxes on 28 September 2026. Of that, €0.389 is VAT (19%), so the net price is €2.048/l. BGL puts energy tax at about 47 ct/l and the CO2 price at around 20 ct/l (March 2026). Companies that reclaim VAT should calculate with the net price.
BGL says fuel is about one third of total road haulage costs, so a 10% rise in the diesel price raises total costs by about 3%. See truck cost per km and fuel surcharge.
Worked example: an 800 km trip
Net diesel price €2.048/l (Germany, 28 Sep 2026):
| Vehicle | Consumption | Diesel | Net cost | Per km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van 3.5 t | 9.5 l/100 km | 76 l | €155.65 | €0.195 |
| Truck 7.5 t | 19 l/100 km | 152 l | €311.30 | €0.389 |
| Artic 40 t | 30 l/100 km | 240 l | €491.52 | €0.614 |
The 40 t truck also uses about 11 l of AdBlue (1.4 l/100 km). On this trip, the difference between an efficient truck (26 l) and a thirsty one (34 l) is 64 l, or €131.07 net. That is why it pays to use your own fleet consumption rather than a generic figure.
Costing fuel and tolls together
Logist Calculator works out road tolls for every European country that charges them, plus fuel cost, for vans up to 3.5 t, 7.5 t trucks and 40 t artics. Diesel prices come from the EU Weekly Oil Bulletin (updated every Thursday, including taxes and VAT), and you can replace the default consumption with your own. Calculate your route
FAQ
How much diesel does a 40 tonne truck use per 100 km?
A modern Euro 6 articulated truck uses 26–32 l/100 km fully loaded, and new models from 2024 use 22–26 l on flat routes. BGL uses 33–34 l/100 km for long-haul costing.
What is the fuel consumption of a 7.5 tonne truck?
About 18–20 l/100 km. FleetGO gives 18–21 l, and the Austrian Umweltbundesamt gives a 17.9 l fleet average for trucks up to 18 t.
How much AdBlue does a truck use?
In tests, Euro 6 artics used 1.3–1.5 l of AdBlue per 100 km, or roughly 3–6% of their diesel volume.
Does an empty truck use less fuel?
Yes, much less. In the UK Imise study (2007), a 44 t articulated tipper used around 86% more fuel fully loaded than empty.
Sources
- Umweltbundesamt Austria – energy consumption of transport modes (reference year 2024)
- BGL – interactive industry cost model
- BGL – press release on diesel prices, 11 Mar 2026
- ICCT – HDV EU fuel consumption fact sheet (2018)
- ADAC car catalogue – Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 317 CDI 3.5 t
- DAF – Green Truck 2023 (manufacturer release)
- 40ton.net – DAF XG+ 480 test (trade press, 2022)
- Eurotransport – Actros 1851 test (2020)
- Eurotransport – Scania R480 Euro 5 vs Euro 6 comparison (2012)
- Imise/DfT – Effects of Payload on the Fuel Consumption of Trucks (2007)
- FleetGO – truck consumption (vendor blog, rough benchmarks only)
- fuel-prices.eu – diesel price Germany (data from the EU Weekly Oil Bulletin)
Last updated: October 2026. Diesel prices change every week. Check the current price at the official source before quoting.