April 3, 2026
Veronika Grimm, a member of a government advisory panel of economists, has recommended introducing temporary speed limits on Germany’s autobahns as a possible response to sharply rising petrol and diesel prices linked to the Iran conflict and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. Grimm told the Rheinischer Post that such limits “wouldn’t do any harm — maybe even a smart signal, so that people take the situation seriously.”
The International Energy Agency has also urged measures to curb oil consumption amid the crisis, listing temporarily lower speed limits among possible steps. Grimm noted that many countries in the global south have already adopted restricting measures — from enforced work-from-home policies to limits on road use — and warned that continued high consumption would hit those countries hardest.
Fuel prices in Germany have surged: motorists’ group ADAC reported that on April 1 the all-day average for diesel reached a record €2.327 per liter, while Super E10 gasoline averaged €2.129 per liter. Those levels came two days after a new law limiting fuel retailers to one price increase per day took effect; ADAC suggested the rule may have prompted companies to apply a single, higher permitted increase, rather than moderating prices.
Any temporary speed limit proposal touches a sensitive issue in Germany. Around 70% of the autobahn network has no general speed limit, while most of the remainder is subject to a 130 km/h recommendation or limit. Grimm argued that a temporary restriction could serve both to reduce consumption and to signal the seriousness of the situation, even if it runs counter to longstanding driving freedoms on parts of the highway system.