California’s average price for a gallon of gasoline is the highest in the United States, with Santa Clara County among the most expensive in the state, according to the Automobile Association of America.
As of March 8, the average price for regular gas in California was $5.44 per gallon, the highest ever recorded, according to AAA, with Santa Clara County exceeding that at $5.47.
Prices in Los Gatos have kept pace with the rest of the county, with prices ranging from $5.19-$5.90 for regular and well over $6 for premium, according to GasBuddy.com, which tracks prices in real-time.
Following California is Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Alaska.
AAA said an increase in gas demand, along with a reduction in total supply, is contributing to price increases, but increasing oil prices continue to play a leading role in pushing prices higher. Prices at the pump will likely continue to rise as crude prices continue to climb.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a major factor in the skyrocketing prices, analysts say.
“This is a milestone that was hard to imagine happening so quickly, but with bipartisan support of severe sanctions on Russia, is not exactly surprising—it is the cost of choking off Russia from energy revenue,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. “As Russia’s war on Ukraine continues to evolve and we head into a season where gas prices typically increase, Americans should prepare to pay more for gas than they ever have before. Shopping and paying smart at the pump will be critical well into summer.”
On March 8, President Joe Biden announced the United States is banning imports of Russian oil, natural gas and coal.
The International Energy Agency recently announced a coordinated release of crude oil from 31 countries’ reserves, including the U.S., Germany, Canada, South Korea and Mexico, to help counter the impact of rising crude prices. However, it admitted that the release is small in comparison to what flows daily from Russia, which exports about five million barrels a day of crude oil globally.
According to U.S. Census data, Los Gatos workers average a nearly 31-minute commute one way, meaning a large amount of time spent burning gas.
However, the town has one of the highest electric vehicle adoption rates in California. According to a 2017 study by the International Council on Clean Transportation, electric vehicles accounted for 16% of all new vehicle sales in Los Gatos. That number is expected to be higher based on the number of new EV models released in the years after the study, such as the Tesla Model 3 and Y, which are commonplace on Los Gatos roads.
Bay City News contributed to this article.
