FOX Facts: Gasoline

Gas Prices - National 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)

2006 (as of April 25, 2006)

Current national average: $2.91 per gallon (unleaded regular)

One month ago:$2.50 per gallon (unleaded regular)

One year ago: $2.21 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

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