(The Center Square) – Traditional transportation energy prices rose 9 cents to $4.21 overnight in North Carolina, part of a nationwide wave of hurt at the pumps cascading from Operation Epic Fury in Iran.
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 a gallon of unleaded gasoline was about $2.75 – up modestly from a low on Jan. 5 of $2.61.
The price is up 61.3% since the first of the year. North Carolina crossed the $4 mark on Wednesday of last week.
The national average is $4.53, AAA says.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared the operation over Tuesday. Declared a conflict won by the United States within hours of its start by second-term Republican President Donald Trump, Wednesday represented Day 68 since it began – a two-month journey with hints of stoppage, even ceasefire announcements, and a wedge further driven between political opponents both nationally and internationally.
Taylor Rogers for the White House, requesting a voice in The Center Square’s coverages, said, “President Trump remains committed to fully unleashing American energy dominance, lowering costs, and putting more money back in the pockets of hardworking American families. As the president continues to exert maximum leverage over Iran with the ongoing successful blockade to bring this conflict to an end, we will see global energy markets stabilize and gas prices plummet back to the multi-year lows Americans enjoyed prior to the start of Operation Epic Fury.”
The White House said production levels are at record highs in the United States.
The prices in North Carolina are also approaching the record high of $4.67 for a gallon of regular unleaded last hit on June 13, 2022. That was the month former President Joe Biden’s administration was trying to explain 9.1% inflation.
Trump’s administration is explaining going from 2.4% in February to 3.3% in March, with April’s numbers due on Tuesday of next week.
North Carolina’s average for diesel is $5.50 per gallon, with marginal change overnight, 3 cents less than a week ago, and 30 cents less than a month ago. On April 7, the $5.81 average set a record.
Things may get worse before better.
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 41.9 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.
Fifteen states have lower average prices for a gallon of unleaded; 23 are lower for diesel; and 17 plus the District of Columbia are lower in electric. No state is lower than $5 per gallon for diesel, and only three are below $4 for unleaded regular gasoline.
Among the 14 major metro areas, the least expensive average for unleaded gas is in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton market at $4.13. The most expensive is in the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area at $4.26.
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.
