Charlotte area rings in 2016 with lower gas prices
Mirroring a national trend, gas prices in the Charlotte metro area started out 2016 by continuing their decline, thanks to abundant global supplies of gas.
As of early Tuesday, the average price of a gallon of unleaded gas in the Charlotte metro area had fallen 2 cents over the week, according to auto group AAA. Prices nationally fell 1 cent over the week.
North Carolina, where gas prices fell 1 cent over the week, is among 34 states that now have average gas prices under $2 a gallon. South Carolina remains one of the states with the cheapest gas, and the average gas price there fell 2 cents over the week.
The current national average gas price is the cheapest it’s been since March 2009, AAA said in a report this week.
Though prices may fluctuate throughout the year because of oil refinery maintenance, the national average price is expected to remain below $3 a gallon in 2016, barring unexpected events that affect global or domestic oil supply, AAA said.
Below are the current average gas prices locally and nationally. AAA, which surveys 120,000 gas stations nationwide to determine average prices, includes Gastonia and Rock Hill in the Charlotte region.
Charlotte | North Carolina | South Carolina | U.S. | |
Current | $1.92 | $1.93 | $1.74 | $1.99 |
Week ago | $1.94 | $1.94 | $1.76 | $2.00 |
Year ago | $2.22 | $2.28 | $2.05 | $2.20 |
Katherine Peralta: 704-358-5079, @katieperalta
This story was originally published January 5, 2016 at 7:17 AM with the headline "Charlotte area rings in 2016 with lower gas prices."