According to AAA, the nationwide average price of a gallon of gas this morning sits at $3.71 – 13 cents higher than a week ago.
“The national average is not quite to its highest level of 2023, yet … but it will likely get there in the next 24 hours or so,” tweeted Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, yesterday
California has retaken the crown no one wants as home to the nation’s highest average gas price. Gallons in the Golden State cost an average of $4.935, $0.003 higher than in Washington.
The increases are coming thanks to increased global oil prices, not Americans driving more. According to the Energy Information Administration, Americans used 8.9 million barrels of gasoline per day last week — down from 9.2 million a day during the same week the previous summer.
What’s keeping Americans off the road? It’s too hot to go outside. AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross says, “Some industry experts speculate that scorching temps in that region are keeping people off the road.”
Even those who drive without gasoline are feeling the heat — a recent study suggests that heat waves over 100 degrees Fahrenheit can cut the range of some electric cars by nearly a third.
Related:
- What Rising Gas Prices Actually Cost You
- Gas Prices: How Hypermiling Saves You Money
- How to Get Better Fuel Economy in Your Existing Car
