FOX FACTS:
Some Current State Averages:
Prices Are In US Dollars Per Gallon.
GAS PRICES (Regular)
-- Hawaii is the highest $3.299
-- Wyoming is the lowest $2.604
OTHER STATES
-- Alaska: $2.848
-- Arizona: $3.005
-- California: $3.206
-- Colorado: $2.852
-- Connecticut: $3.044
-- District of Columbia: $3.083
-- Florida: $2.971
-- Iowa: $2.834
-- Idaho: $2.695
-- Illinois: $2.957
-- Kentucky: $2.874
-- Louisiana: $2.875
-- North Carolina: $2.925
-- New York: $3.112
-- Utah: $2.708
-- Vermont: $2.925
-- West Virginia: $2.952
(Source: Associated Press)
Gas Prices - Historic Averages
1949
0.27 per gallon (leaded regular)
1974
0.53 per gallon (leaded regular)
1980
$1.25 per gallon (unleaded regular)
2000
$1.51 per gallon (unleaded regular)
2005
$2.27 per gallon (unleaded regular)
Highest Recorded Price (average): Sept 5, 2005 - $3.03 per gallon (unleaded regular)
(source: Department of Energy and AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report)
National Average for Unleaded Regular - recent milestones
$1.50 per gallon
the week of May 13, 2000: $1.51 per gallon
$1.60 per gallon
the week of June 12, 2000: $1.60 per gallon
$1.70 per gallon
the week of March 29, 2004: $1.71 per gallon
$2.00 per gallon
the week of May 24, 2004: $2.02 per gallon
$2.10 per gallon
the week of March 28, 2005: $2.13 per gallon
$2.25 per gallon
the week of April 11, 2005: $2.25 per gallon
$2.30 per gallon
the week of August 8, 2005: $2.32 per gallon
$2.50 per gallon
the week of August 15, 2005: $2.51 per gallon
$3.00 per gallon
the week of September 5, 2005: $3.03 per gallon
(source: Department of Energy)
Cost to Fill Your Car
Cost To Fill Up A 2006-Model Car (By Size of Car at 3 Price Levels)
Full size sport utility*: fuel capacity is 25.4 gallons
Cost to fill up 25.4 gallon gas tank at $2 / gallon: $50.80
Cost to fill up 25.4 gallon gas tank at $3 / gallon: $76.20
Cost to fill up 25.4 gallon gas tank at $4 / gallon: $101.60
Midsize sedan**: fuel capacity is 18.5 gallons
Cost to fill up 18.5 gallon gas tank at $2 / gallon: $37.00
Cost to fill up 18.5 gallon gas tank at $3 / gallon: $55.50
Cost to fill up 18.5 gallon gas tank at $4 / gallon: $74.00
Compact sedan***: fuel capacity is 13.2 gallons
Cost to fill up 13.2 gallon gas tank at $2 / gallon: $26.40
Cost to fill up 13.2 gallon gas tank at $3 / gallon: $39.60
Cost to fill up 13.2 gallon gas tank at $4 / gallon: $52.80
Notes:
*Calculation based upon 2006 Toyota Land Cruiser
**Calculation based upon 2006 Toyota Camry
***Calculation based upon 2006 Toyota Corolla
Gasoline Shortages
-In 2005 a number of petroleum companies announced their intent to remove MTBE from their gasoline in 2006
-The largest use of MTBE is in RFG consumed on the East Coast outside of New York and Connecticut and in Texas
-RFG areas in the Midwest and California have already moved from MTBE to ethanol
-MTBE is a chemical compound that is manufactured by the chemical reaction of methanol and isobutylene.
-MTBE is produced in very large quantities
-MTBE is almost exclusively used as a fuel additive in motor gasoline
-MTBE is one of a group of chemicals commonly known as "oxygenates" because they raise the oxygen content of gasoline
-At room temperature, MTBE is a volatile, flammable and colorless liquid that dissolves rather easily in water
-MTBE has been used in U.S. gasoline at low levels since 1979 to replace lead as an octane enhancer
-Since 1992, MTBE has been used at higher concentrations in some gasoline to fulfill the oxygenate requirements set by Congress in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments
-Most refiners chose to use MTBE over other oxygenates primarily for its blending characteristics and for economic reasons
-Consumers can report activity at local gasoline filling stations that they believe may constitute “gouging” or “price fixing” by visiting http://gaswatch.energy.gov/.
-Last year, nearly 35,000 people reported gasoline prices to the Department of Energy’s web site and hotline
Sources: DOE, EPA
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.