(The Center Square) – Fuel prices in North Carolina have absorbed a spike amid foreign policy tariff talk and are up slightly at Presidents Day.
The statewide average cost of a gallon of unleaded regular on Monday morning stood at $2.87, according to the American Automobile Association. That’s 29 cents below the national norm, and 28 cents below the average in the state on the same day a year ago. It’s nearly 3 cents better than the previous week.
Some locations in the state zoomed up 40 cents or more amid speculation of tariffs on foreign trade. Not all companies spiked their prices; most have settled their volatility in likeness to international policy negotiations.
At the turn of the calendar new year, the statewide average was $2.86, and the national average was $3.04.
Diesel is averaging $3.58 in the state, $3.66 in the nation. In North Carolina, it’s up from $3.49 a month ago and down from $3.94 last year.
Only 11 states have lower unleaded prices than North Carolina, and 25 are lower for diesel.
North Carolina’s electric vehicle charging rate average, according to AAA, is 33.6 cents per kilowatt hour. Fourteen states are lower. The national average is 34.2 cents per kwh.
North Carolina has more than 8 million combustion engine vehicles registered and just more than 100,000 zero emission vehicle registrations.
According to reports into GasBuddy, North Carolina’s best price for unleaded regular is $2.54 at the Speedway, 2775 U.S. 117 in Goldsboro.
Among 14 major metro areas, the least expensive average for unleaded gas is in Goldsboro at $2.74. Most expensive is the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area ($2.98).
Diesel is the most consumer-friendly ($3.50) in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton.
North Carolina’s 40.3 cents per gallon tax rate for 2025 is topped by California (59.6), Pennsylvania (57.6), Washington (49.4), Illinois (47), Maryland (46.1), and New Jersey (44.9).
The motor fuel excise tax rate in the state is the amount for the preceding calendar year (40.4), multiplied by a percentage. The percentage is plus or minus the sum of the annual percentage change in state population for the applicable calendar year, multiplied by 75% and the annual energy index percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, multiplied by 25%, the state Department of Transportation explains on its website.
Motor fuel taxes in the state go to the Department of Transportation’s highway and multi-modal projects, adding up to just more than half of the state transportation resources. Specifically, the revenues go into the Highway Fund and the Highway Trust Fund.
