President Trump has made it known that his administration intends to oblige the auto industry’s request to roll-back longterm standards for greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency in most new vehicles. However, some states say they will go to court to fight carmakers’ attempts to undo these guidelines. [More]
gasoline
Americans’ Gas-Guzzling Habit Will Peak In 2018
By 3.2.17
While the total number of cars on the road will increase in the coming years, experts predict that the United States’ oil usage will peak next year. That’s because the growing popularity of electric and hybrid vehicles along with ever-increasing (government-mandated, at least for now) fuel economy standards mean that the our gasoline usage will peak next year, and fall from there. [More]
Motorists Swarm Over Border With Mexico To Get Cheaper Gas… In California
By 1.11.17 — Updated: 1.12.17
Near the Mexican border, something strange is happening. Motorists are driving across international boundaries to fill their gas tanks with cheaper fuel and save some money, but it’s not Californians driving to Mexico. [More]
Mazda Recalls RX-8 Sports Cars Over Risk Of Fuel Leaks
By 11.15.16
If you have a Mazda RX-8 parked outside that’s around a decade old, you’ll need to go to your nearest dealership soon: cars from model years 2004 through 2008, about 70,000 of which are still on the road, have been recalled because their fuel pump sealing rings may weaken over time and cause leaks, which in turn is a fire hazard. [More]
A Weird Way To Celebrate Halloween: Nabbing Gas From NJ Before Prices Go Up
By 11.1.16
A $0.23 tax hike per gallon of gasoline is finally happening in New Jersey today, and that meant a weird form of adult trick-or-treating took place last night: people from other states — okay, pretty much just New York — rushed over the border to get their last cheap fill-up before the higher tax went into effect. [More]
Colonial Pipeline Explosion And Fire Kills Worker, May Cause Gas Supply Issues
By 11.1.16
Hey, remember just just over a month ago when the Colonial fuel pipeline shut down, cutting gas supplies to the Southeast and leading to shortages at gas stations? The same pipeline, which is the nation’s biggest and brings gasoline from Houston to New Jersey with many stops along the way, will be shut down again after a fire that killed one worker and hospitalized five. [More]
Ruptured Gas Pipeline In Alabama May Mean East Coast Fuel Shortages
By 9.16.16
A spill of gasoline from the Colonial Pipeline in Alabama could mean higher gas prices and even shortages on the East Coast, since the line brings fuel north from refineries in Houston all the way up to New York Harbor. The governors of Alabama and Georgia have declared states of emergency as the pipeline’s repair was delayed, and it may not be back online until next week. [More]
Americans Don’t Want Priuses Because They Forgot That Gas Prices Can Change
By 9.6.16
Last year, we noted that low gas prices seem to be giving American car-buyers memory loss, as consumer preferences steered over to SUVs and trucks rather than the hybrid and compact cars that were popular a few years ago when gas prices topped $4 per gallon. Now it’s causing actual problems for Toyota, maker of what were the most popular hybrids… eight years ago. [More]
Electric Vehicles Could Cut Gasoline Demand By 20% In Next 20 Years
By 6.20.16
Part of the appeal of driving around town in an electric vehicle is that it doesn’t need gasoline, and thus, is better for the environment. But there’s one thing all of these vehicles aren’t good for: gasoline demand. [More]
Computerized Gas Station Price War Takes Prices Down To A Few Pennies In Ohio
By 2.15.16
Gas prices have finally fallen below $2 per gallon where I live, but that’s still a fortune compared to what some motorists in Ohio encountered over the weekend. A computer glitch of some sort made the price at a Pilot Travel Center plummet as low as a few pennies, which attracted opportunistic shoppers. Then the Circle K across the street decided to keep up with their competitors by lowering their prices, too. [More]
Gas Prices Get Low, Stay Low: You Could Be Paying Under $2 Per Gallon Soon
By 8.10.15
If you’re planning an end-of-the-summer road trip, you’re in luck: Gas prices across the country are pretty low right now, dropping about 6% in the last month to just $2.59 a gallon on average. But if you’re planning to hit the highways and byways this fall, your luck is about to get even better at the pump, as experts say gas prices could fall below $2 a gallon next month. [More]
Why Gasoline With More Than 10% Ethanol Will Make Your Mower Sad
By 7.31.15
Modern cars are designed to get around just fine with gasoline containing ethanol in their tanks, but not all gasoline that you buy at the corner gas station is healthy for other items that you own that use gas. Think outdoor power equipment like push mowers, string trimmers, and chainsaws. Cars made in 2006 and afterwards can take fuel that’s up to 15% ethanol, but that mixture can be disastrous for small gas-powered appliances. [More]
Oregon Testing Pay-Per-Mile System As An Alternative To State’s Gas Tax
By 5.20.15
With more fuel-efficient vehicles and hybrid cars hitting the roads every day and requiring less gas, some states are looking into how they can still collect enough money from drivers to keep maintain their roads and bridges. Oregon is one such state, with a new test program that allows volunteers to pay the state not for the amount of fuel they buy at the pump with a gas tax, but for how many miles they drive. [More]
New Jersey Won’t Get Self-Serve Gas Pumps Anytime Soon
By 5.19.15
As things stand right now, there are only two states in the nation where drivers are not allowed to pump their own gas: New Jersey and Oregon. Both states have legislation pending that would put an end to the days of full-serve only, but a powerful Garden State legislator has made it known that there will be no self-serve on his watch. [More]
This Summer’s Gas Prices Predicted To Be At Their Lowest In Six Years
By 5.15.15
As if there wasn’t enough to celebrate with the impending arrival of summer, road trip vacations will be even better this year with gasoline predicted to be at its cheapest in at least six years. Perfect for when you finally decide to drive across the country to visit that giant ball of [insert weird thing to make a giant ball out of] in [state far away from where you live]. [More]
Yes, Adding Gasoline And Lighter Fluid To A Birthday Cake May Increase Risk Of Setting Other Things On Fire
By 5.5.15
With the dawning of the Internet age has come an era filled with technological advances and tools that let humans talk to each other all over the world in mere seconds. And yet it has also wrought incredible stupidity, all for the sake of filming things to post on YouTube. Adding to the list of very unwise things to do for Internet fame: Adding flammable liquids to a birthday cake to make it explode — while inside the house. [More]
25 States Could Have Sub-$2 Gas This Month
By 1.13.15
More than one-third of states already have some gas options that will cost drivers less than $2/gallon, and a new report says it’s possible that this could increase to half of the country in the coming weeks. [More]
Gas Station Owners Aren’t Passing Their Savings On To Consumers
By 12.12.14
You may have noticed prices gradually falling at your neighborhood gas station over the last few months, what you may not know is that the price of oil has been falling even faster than that. Why aren’t station owners passing the savings on to drivers? They’re in a generally low-margin business, and we’re all still buying gas anyway. [More]
