(The Center Square) – Traditional transportation energy prices in North Carolina are up from a month ago and still running more than 20 cents less than the national average despite taxpayers having one of the highest fuel taxes at the pumps.
The average gallon of unleaded regular from Murphy to Manteo is $2.69, down 4 cents from a week earlier and 16 cents better than a year ago. North Carolina is 22 cents better than the national average of $2.87, according to AAA.
Diesel is $3.47 a gallon on average across the state, up 7 cents from a month ago and 9 cents less than a year ago.
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 36.3 cents per kilowatt-hour. The national average is 38.2 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; 22 are lower for diesel; and 19 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton area at $2.59. The most expensive area is the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area at $2.82.
Diesel is the most consumer-friendly ($3.39) in the Charlotte 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.
