In the thick of summer, gas prices are laying low with the average for a gallon of regular gasoline in California at $4.50, dropping three cents from a week ago.

“While the state’s excise tax increased by 1.6 cents a gallon at the beginning of the month, California gas prices are actually trending much lower than last summer, when gasoline was 23 cents higher per gallon than it is today,” said Doug Johnson, spokesperson for AAA Mountain West Group. “Meanwhile, the impact of new stricter air quality regulations — which went into effect July 1 — on gas prices remains unknown.”

The national average for a gallon of regular is also down one cent to $3.16, from last week. Pump prices have dipped to match the summer of 2021, the last time seasonal gas prices were this low. 

However, a low-pressure system off the Gulf Coast has the potential — albeit low — to strengthen, and it’s something to watch as it moves westward. 

This time of year, tropical activity can have an effect on gas prices if there’s damage to refineries or if local flooding affects gasoline distribution or demand.
 
Fuel prices around the state: 

Lake County: $4.43
San Francisco: $4.68
Oakland: $4.56
San Jose: $4.51
Sacramento: $4.46
Fresno: $4.57
Stockton: $4.34
 
According to new data from the Energy Information Administration, or EIA, gasoline demand decreased from 9.15 million b/d last week to 8.48. Total domestic gasoline supply increased from 229.5 million barrels to 232.9. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 9.1 million barrels per day.
 
Oil market dynamics

At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI fell 14 cents to settle at $66.38 a barrel. The EIA reports crude oil inventories fell 3.9 million barrels from last week. At 422.2 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 8% below the five-year average for this time of year.
 
EV charging

The national average per kilowatt hour of electricity at a public EV charging station stayed the same last week at 36 cents. In California, it’s 38 cents.

State Stats

Gas

The nation’s top 10 most expensive gasoline markets are California ($4.50), Hawaii ($4.48), Washington ($4.39), Oregon ($3.99), Nevada ($3.76), Alaska ($3.74), Idaho ($3.47), Illinois ($3.44), Utah ($3.37), and Washington, DC ($3.33).

The nation's top 10 least expensive gasoline markets are Mississippi ($2.72), Oklahoma ($2.77), Tennessee ($2.77), Texas ($2.78), Arkansas ($2.79), Louisiana ($2.80), Alabama ($2.81), South Carolina ($2.84), Kentucky ($2.84), and New Mexico ($2.84).

Electric

The nation’s top 10 most expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are West Virginia (51 cents), Alaska (51 cents), Hawaii (46 cents), Tennessee (46 cents), Montana (45 cents), South Carolina (44 cents), New Hampshire (43 cents), Alabama (42 cents), Wisconsin (42 cents), and Arkansas (42 cents).

The nation’s top 10 least expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Kansas (25 cents), Missouri (27 cents), Maryland (28 cents), Utah (28 cents), Nebraska (30 cents), Delaware (31 cents), Colorado (33 cents), North Carolina (33 cents), Washington, DC (33 cents), and Iowa (33 cents).

Find current fuel prices at GasPrices.AAA.com.