(The Center Square) – In less than two weeks, North Carolina’s average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline has risen 20 cents.
Placed upon yet another arrow fired into the balance of campaign rhetoric mixing consumer prices and national security, the average price for a gallon of unleaded from Murphy to Manteo was at $3.68 on Monday morning, according to AAA. On July 8 the price was $3.48 on a day in which second-term Republican President Donald Trump declared his double-sided ceasefire from April was over.
At issue since the outset in February was whether Iran has capabilities to produce an atomic weapon.
Diesel on average is $4.98, up 25 cents since last Monday and 42 cents in the last dozen days.
Nationally, a gallon of unleaded gasoline rose to $4 on Monday with diesel at $5.10.
Combustion engine consumers make up more than 8 million vehicle registrations in the nation’s ninth-largest state.
North Carolina’s electric vehicle charging rate average, according to AAA, is 41 cents per kilowatt-hour. The national average is 42 cents per kWh. More than 100,000 zero-emission vehicles are registered in the state. At the start of 2025, the state norm was 33.5 cents per kWh and the national was 34.7 cents per kWh.
Only 12 states have lower average prices for a gallon of unleaded; 25 are lower for diesel; and 19 plus the District of Columbia are lower in electric. Hawaii and California are each less than 30 cents shy of $7 for diesel; and each along with Washington are above $5 for unleaded gasoline.
Among the 14 major metro areas in North Carolina, the least expensive average for unleaded gas is in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton market at $3.58. The most expensive is the Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill metro area at $3.76.
Diesel is the most consumer-friendly ($4.94) in the Rocky Mount market.
Per Environmental Protection Agency rules, June 1 was the beginning – through Sept. 15 – of the time for less volatile summer blend fuel to be sold. In general, summer fuel is considered 10 cents to 15 cents higher per gallon.
North Carolina’s 41 cents per gallon tax rate for 2026 is only eclipsed by California (61.2), Pennsylvania (57.6), Washington (55.4), Indiana (53.5), Michigan (52.4), New Jersey (49.1), Illinois (48.3) and Maryland (46.2).
Motor fuel taxes fund the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s highway and multi-modal projects, accounting for more than half of the state transportation resources. The revenues go into the Highway Fund and the Highway Trust Fund.
For context on the tensions between American, Israel and Iran, whether there was a ceasefire and military attacks ended is up for debate. At different times, Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and War Secretary Pete Hegseth have declared levels of victory, ends to the military action and Iran’s nuclear ambitions “obliterated.”
Yet, the region since it all began nearly five months ago hasn’t had sustained time with no military action from Iran or allies. This notably includes within the Strait of Hormuz where 20% of global petroleum consumption and 20% of the world’s liquefied natural gas flows.
Prices in North Carolina have been volatile since Feb. 28 when America and Israel launched military strikes into Iran in what has been known as Operation Epic Fury. A day before it started, the statewide norm for a gallon of unleaded gasoline was about $2.75 – up modestly from a low on Jan. 5 of $2.61.
On May 6, the state’s overnight spike for unleaded of 9 cents increased the gas price to $4.21. Diesel climbed to $5.81 on April 7, a state record.