AAA Weekly Fuel Report
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (March 12, 2026) - Gas prices are climbing just in time for spring break, with California’s average for a gallon of gasoline jumping nearly 55 cents since last week to $5.36. Nationwide the average for a gallon of gasoline is $3.59.
“Gasoline demand increases this time of year as the weather warms up and more drivers hit the road.” says Doug Johnson, spokesperson for AAA Mountain West Group. “Crude oil prices play a major role in what drivers pay at the pump, and prices have surpassed the $100/barrel mark multiple times in recent days.”
To help offset rising prices, the U.S. announced it will release 172 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves over four months. The move is part of a broader effort by the International Energy Agency to release a total of 400 million barrels of oil, the largest emergency release in its history.
Fuel Prices Around the State:
San Francisco: $5.63
Oakland: $5.47
San Jose: $5.43
Sacramento: $5.33
Fresno: $5.31
Stockton: $5.25
According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand increased last week from 8.29 million b/d to 9.24 million. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 253.1 million barrels to 249.5 million. Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 9.9 million barrels per day.
AAA Shares Tips to Help Drivers Save on Gas
Avoid Speeding: Fuel economy peaks at around 50 mph on most cars, then drops off as speeds increase. Driving the recommended speed limit can increase fuel economy between 7 and 14 percent.
Regular vs. Premium: Pay close attention to the words “recommended” and “required.” If regular gas is recommended for your vehicle, that’s all you need. Choosing premium when your car doesn’t require it will only cost you money and doesn’t improve fuel economy.
Remove unnecessary weight from your vehicle (e.g., trunk, cargo area, etc. ) as weight increases the amount of effort it takes to move the vehicle.
Avoid Excessive Idling: When idling, car engines use up to one-half gallons of fuel per hour. Warm engines take about 10 seconds worth of fuel to restart. Shut off your engine when stopped for more than a minute and if it's safe to do so.
Check Tire Pressure and Align Tires: Maintaining proper tire pressure reduces your tire's friction with the road. Less friction means less energy is needed to move, resulting in using less gas. Proper inflation can improve gas mileage by 0.6 percent on average.
Take Advantage Of Fuel Rewards: AAA members can save at the pump over Spring Break by signing up for Shell Fuel Rewards®. Members who register now through April 30 will get 35¢/gallon off their first fill at participating Shell stations, and all AAA Fuel Rewards members will save 10¢/gallon during that time period, which is an additional 5¢/gallon compared to the standard Fuel Rewards discount.
Oil Market Dynamics
At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI rose $3.80 to settle at $87.25 a barrel. The EIA reports crude oil inventories increased by 3.8 million barrels from the previous week. At 443.1 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 2% below the five-year average for this time of year.
EV Charging
The national average per kilowatt hour of electricity at a public EV charging station went up by 2 cents this past week to 41 cents. In CA it is 45 cents per kwh.
State Stats
Gas
The nation’s top 10 most expensive gasoline markets are California ($5.36), Hawaii ($4.76), Washington ($4.74), Nevada ($4.39), Oregon ($4.30), Arizona ($4.06), Alaska ($3.96), Florida ($3.71), Pennsylvania ($3.66), and Illinois ($3.66).
The nation's top 10 least expensive gasoline markets are Kansas ($3.04), Oklahoma ($3.05), North Dakota ($3.09), Arkansas ($3.11), Missouri ($3.12), Mississippi ($3.16), South Dakota ($3.18), Kentucky ($3.19), Wisconsin ($3.21), and Iowa ($3.22).
Electric
The nation’s top 10 most expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are West Virginia (54 cents), Hawaii (51 cents), Alaska (50 cents), New Hampshire (47 cents), Louisiana (47 cents), South Carolina (46 cents), California (45 cents), New Jersey (45 cents), Arkansas (44 cents), and North Dakota (43 cents).
The nation’s top 10 least expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Kansas (29 cents), Missouri (31 cents), Nebraska (33 cents), Iowa (33 cents), Maryland (33 cents), Utah (34 cents), Vermont (34 cents), South Dakota (34 cents), Delaware (36 cents), and Colorado (38 cents).
Drivers can find current gas and electric charging prices along their route using the AAA Mobile App, now available on CarPlay.Find current fuel prices at GasPrices.AAA.com. Find local news releases atmwg.aaa.com/news/press-release.
About AAA Mountain West Group
AAA Mountain West Group is a membership and full-service leisure travel organization, proudly serving over 6.8 million Members across Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, Utah, and Wyoming. Named one of Forbes’ Most Trusted Companies in America, AAA delivers unmatched expertise and value through roadside assistance and electric vehicle (EV) resources, along with comprehensive auto repair, travel, insurance, financial, and home security services. Powered by 5,300 dedicated Team Members, AAA is on a mission to revolutionize solutions that help our Members.
