(The Center Square) – Traditional transportation energy price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline in North Carolina is $1.02 higher than a month ago, spiking 20 cents in the last seven days.
According to AAA, the state’s average price of $3.72 remains more than two dimes better than the national average of $3.95. Diesel averages $5.34 across the state, just 12 cents shy of $2 more than a year ago.
The United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, and the prices of fuel have climbed since. Global energy infrastructure has been impacted by the action and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Second-term Republican President Donald Trump has said energy costs are a “very small price to pay” in comparison to neutralizing Iran’s threat to America and securing long-term worldwide security. Americans, according to polls, have mixed opinion short of full agreement.
Monday represented Day 24 of Operation Epic Fury. A day before it started, the statewide norm for unleaded was about $2.75.
For context, since the COVID-19 era, the state’s highs are $4.67 for unleaded on June 13, 2022, and $5.76 for diesel on June 10, 2022. That was the month when inflation climaxed at 9.1% during the administration of former President Joe Biden.
Combustion engine consumers make up more than 8 million vehicle registrations in the nation’s ninth-largest state.
North Carolina’s electric vehicle charging rate average, according to AAA, is 40.5 cents per kilowatt-hour. The national average is 41.8 cents per kWh. More than 100,000 zero-emission vehicles are registered in the state. At the start of 2025, the state norm was 33.5 cents per kWh and the national was 34.7 cents per kWh.
Twenty-two states have lower average prices for a gallon of unleaded; 31 are lower for diesel; and 20 plus the District of Columbia are lower in electric.
Among the 14 major metro areas, the least expensive average for unleaded gas is in the Asheville area at $3.62. The most expensive is the Charlotte metro area at $3.78.
Diesel is the most consumer-friendly ($5.19) in the New Bern market.
North Carolina’s 41 cents per gallon tax rate for 2026 is only less than California (61.2), Pennsylvania (57.6), Washington (55.4), Michigan (52.4), New Jersey (49.1), Illinois (48.3) and Maryland (46).
Motor fuel taxes in the state fund the Department of Transportation’s highway and multi-modal projects, accounting for more than half of the state transportation resources. The revenues go into the Highway Fund and the Highway Trust Fund.
