Gas at many stations in the Silicon Valley area will now set you back $4.75 or more a gallon. Regular unleaded gasoline is now more expensive than California’s number 2 diesel.
Gas prices at a Shell station in Silicon Valley, California in October 2012. (image credit: SiliconCali.com)
Due to refinery shortages on the west coast, supply of refined gasoline has been limited. Less supply means higher prices passed on to the consumer. One more high cost that exists in California that doesn’t exist in better managed states. How long can California citizens take these higher costs before they decide to move to Texas?
Gas in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area has already shot up to over $4 a gallon and is expected to top $5 by the summer or maybe even earlier. As gas here in the US creeps closer to what Europe has already been paying for years, will we see a bigger shift toward diesel and smaller cars? Will a summer hurricane put pressure on the oil mkt, causing 6 dollar gas to be the norm?
What options do you have to avoid the “commuter tax”?
Here’s a couple, but they both come with their own steep price tags.
Nissan Leaf All Electric VehicleTesla Model S Electric Sedan-More practical and less costly than the Tesla Roadster