One of the aspects where drivers try to save money is fuel. The vast majority want to pay as little as possible to fill their vehicle’s tank with gasoline or diesel. For this reason, many people in Spain seek out cheap gas stations to find better fuel prices, although some are still hesitant to do so. However, there are also drivers who go a step further with fuel.
Some users have no qualms about circumventing current laws and choose to fill their cars or trucks with agrodiesel (also known as diesel B). This fuel is intended exclusively for vehicles used in agriculture, as well as other sectors such as industry or fishing. Agrodiesel is cheaper than the gasoline or diesel available at conventional gas stations. However, it is completely illegal to fill your tank with it if you are not involved in these activities. For this reason, the Guardia Civil carries out regular checks.
What exactly is diesel B, and how does the Guardia Civil detect it? Agricultural diesel differs from conventional fuel used in cars in that it is less refined. Drivers who fill their vehicles with it not only commit an offense but also risk damaging their vehicle. Nevertheless, quite a few people take the risk of a breakdown in order to save considerable money at the gas station.
Is the price difference really so great that many drivers take this risk? To answer this question, we must look back in time. Decades ago, a bonus for this type of fuel ensured that the price remained permanently low due to lower taxes. This makes diesel B between 30 and 35 cents cheaper than the fuel intended for cars and trucks.
In addition, the law precisely defines which types of vehicles are permitted to use this fuel, preventing any that do not fall under the regulations from doing so. For this reason, the Guardia Civil conducts numerous checks to identify potential offenders driving with a full tank of agricultural diesel. A simple but effective system is used to detect all violations.
Although agricultural diesel has a very distinctive reddish color and a different odor, making it easily distinguishable from regular diesel, the Guardia Civil inserts a hose into the tank to take a sample of the fuel and analyze it. To ensure that the violation is correct, they add an additive that immediately indicates whether it is Diesel B or not. In the event of a violation, the driver is fined.
The fine for driving with Diesel B can vary, but in no case is less than €600. It is important to note that this amount can increase significantly depending on the circumstances, and the offender could be required to pay a fine of several thousand euros.
