(The Center Square) – Two weeks ago, North Carolina’s traditional transportation energy prices average had fallen 17 cents in 12 days.
Friday, they were up 20 cents in a week to $4.05 for a gallon of unleaded gasoline – and up 55.2% since the start of the year. Looking ahead, summer’s EPA allowance for higher prices is just a month away.
Motorists are paying $5.52 for a gallon of diesel on average from Murphy to Manteo.
Nationally, Friday’s averages were $4.39 for unleaded and $5.57 for diesel. The 34 cents below the national norm is better than usual for the state; it generally runs closer to a quarter.
Energy prices have been volatile since America and Israel on Feb. 28 launched military strikes into Iran. A day before it started, the statewide norm for unleaded was about $2.75 – up modestly from a low on Jan. 5 of $2.61.
Billed as a conflict won by the United States within hours of its start, Friday represented Day 63 for Operation Epic Fury – a two-month journey with hints of stoppage, even ceasefire announcements, and a wedge further driven between political opponents both nationally and internationally.
Second-term Republican President Donald Trump on April 1 said, “We are on track to complete all of America’s military objectives shortly, very shortly. We’re going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks – we’re going to bring them back to the Stone Age, where they belong.”
On April 7, he said a two-week ceasefire had been reached. The April 9 prices in the state were $3.94 for unleaded and $5.80 for diesel, according to AAA. A record was set on the day of the ceasefire at $5.81 for diesel.
In analysis by The Center Square of averages posted by AAA, it was April 13 when the average for unleaded dipped a penny below $3.90 and April 19 when it got a penny under $3.80.
North Carolina crossed the $4 mark on Wednesday.
At the rate of 5 cents every two days, the state on or about Memorial Day weekend would approach the record of $4.67 from June 13, 2022, when Biden era inflation was at 9.1%.
And, per Environmental Protection Agency rules, June 1 to Sept. 15 is the time for less volatile summer blend fuel to be sold. In general, summer fuel is considered 10 cents to 15 cents higher per gallon.
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 40.4 cents per kilowatt-hour. The national average is 41.7 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.
Sixteen states have lower average prices for a gallon of unleaded; 25 are lower for diesel; and 17 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 Fayetteville area and in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton market at $3.97. The most expensive is in the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area at $4.14.
Diesel is the most consumer-friendly ($5.33) in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton 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.
