CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Gas prices are falling across North Carolina amid the nationwide coronavirus outbreak.
“What we’re seeing across the country is actually not happening in the Carolinas at least not right now,” said Tiffany Wright, AAA Carolinas.
Nationwide gas is averaging at $2.19 a gallon.
Wright said you probably noticed prices across the Tarheel state are going in a different direction.
“In North Carolina, we were actually one of three states to see a swing, a downward swing,” Wright said.
In North Carolina gas is currently averaging at $1.99 a gallon.
In Charlotte alone, you can find gas as cheap as $1.83 at Costco on Tyvola Road. In Gastonia, gas is $1.78 at the Murphy USA on N Myrtle School road.
And if you're filling up in Kannapolis, gas is sitting at $1.84 at the BP on S Cannon Blvd.
“We went down between three to four pennies as far as our statewide average from a week ago,” Wright said.
As for a year ago?
“We are paying about anywhere from 50 to 60 cents less than this time a year ago,” Wright said.
Wright predicts prices could continue to drop,
Especially as demand decreases with people staying home and traveling as little as possible in response to COVID-19.
“We have such an enormous amount of supply because of all the stay at home orders no one is buying gas,” Wright said.
“Supply and demand still hasn’t evened out yet.”
So when could you expect your wallet to see a difference?
“As we get into phase three I think we will see more motorist on the road, so you will have more traffic on the road, in turn, you will see that demand go up as more motorists need to go fill their tanks up,” Wright said. “You’re just now seeing that right now.”
In the meantime, Wright says enjoy the low costs as much as you can.
Gas experts predict prices could increase 10 to 15 percent as demand is likely to surge once Phase 3 is in full swing.
“We are seeing some of the lowest gas prices in the country, that’s the good thing, we just don’t know how long it’s going to last,” Wright said.
In South Carolina, the average is $1.91 a gallon.
As it stands, both Carolinas are sitting comfortably under the current national average.
