Gasoline Images

View Comments

• Either I dont understand imperial system or... I see that diesel is more expensive than gasoline. That just crazy and kinda unbelievable.

• @Zealander: Worry not: your understanding of the Imperial or U.S. system of weights and measures is most likely sound. In these upside-down times, diesel is more expensive than gas, even the premium stuff (or as my father-in-law likes to call it, "high-test").

  Diesel's surpassing gasoline in cost is a pretty recent thing. I've never had a diesel car, but I remember being surprised sometime near the start of this year by the realization that diesel was now the expensive stuff.

  According to an article on Seeking Alpha titled Why Is Diesel More Expensive Than Regular Gas?, the official answer from the U.S. Energy Information Administration is:

  Until several years ago, the average price of diesel fuel was usually lower than the average price of gasoline. In some winters when the demand for distillate heating oil was high, the price of diesel fuel rose above the gasoline price. Since September 2004, the price of diesel fuel has been generally higher than the price of regular gasoline all year round for several reasons. Worldwide demand for diesel fuel and other distillate fuel oils has been increasing steadily, with strong demand in China, Europe, and the U.S., putting more pressure on the tight global refining capacity. In the U.S., the transition to low-sulfur diesel fuel has affected diesel fuel production and distribution costs. Also, the Federal excise tax on diesel fuel is 6 cents higher per gallon (24.4 cents per gallon) than the tax on gasoline.

  I'd hate to be one of those people who bought a diesel car thinking that they'd save some cash at the pump.

• Diesel in Korea is more expensive than gas now as well, and truck and bus drivers went on strike yesterday.

  "The strike by truckers comes as the association of bus and tax companies threatened to cut their operations to protest against what they call insufficient government steps to counter rising oil prices. Seoul taxi and bus companies are calling for raises in rates."

  On top of the beef protests, Korea could grind to a complete halt soon. :(