Gas Prices

[micheal]

I would agree that it is going to be much sooner rather than later. I think it will be a constant $3 during the summer, drop down to $2.75 in the winter, then back up again to $3 in the early spring of 2007. From that point, I don't expect it to go below $3 again.


Here in Lubbock, over the last 10-14 days it went from $2.15 to $2.50. AAA has the current average as $2.43 compared to last months average of $2.27.

Link

[galaxee]

i filled up for the first time in 5 weeks on what, tuesday i think. was a bit of a shock to get slapped with 2.49/gal... hadn't been watching prices closely. now it's up to 2.59 and steadily increasing from the look of it

[subarutoo]

Been there, Done that. It's been over $3 in LA off and on quite often. I think I paid $2.59 at Costco a couple of days ago. It will probably hit $3 again by summer.

[Walker1]

Originally posted by sb_in_nc@Mar 17 2006, 12:15 PM
Rich Oil Companies and "Arabs" are doing what we're paying them to do.    It's our greed for gas that's the problem.

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Where I live there is NO mass transit to speak of. It's 10+ miles into town.I hardly consider myself greedy just trying to go to work and buy groceries, etc. When a co. makes BILLIONS of $$ profit in 3 months something's very wrong with that picture. If anything they should be doing their part to keep our economy from tanking. I personally can't afford any more $$ just to get around. I haven't got a raise in pay for 3 years. When gas was $2/gal. it was taking a toll in my house.

[tripp]

Yes and no. The oil companies and oil countries like the occasional price spike but this steady climb is NOT in their long term interest. Sustained high prices and volatility are VERY BAD for them because renewables/alternatives will become cost competetive or much cheaper than gasoline. That's why Exxon claims that peak oil is a myth. They don't want to cause panic and fear. That will expedite the shift away for gasoline much faster than them saying that there's plenty of oil.

[jplotinus]

My crystal ball is noteworthy for its inaccuracy, so I'm not even going to consult it. Sorry to be a spoil-sport. However, that won't prevent me from deviating from the question asked.

I'd like to offer up the thought that gasoline pricing will pale as a concern when the issue becomes that of availability. If you think gas at $3.00/gal is bad; what about gas either being unavailable and/or rationed to something like, say, 10 gallons/month?

Therein lies the real advantage of a Prius. If (when?) gas is rationed and/or when getting gas involves camping out in long lines, then, in that event, your Prius just increased in value (and in theft appeal).

This is what spoil-sports do.

[Tadashi]

Originally posted by tochatihu@Mar 17 2006, 09:01 AM
If I were considering the big battery upgrade it would be very much on the basis of trip profile - what fraction of the miles are driven on trips shorter than the extended EV range.  I would also look at my electricity provider's generation mix - a large proportion of coal burning would argue against.  A roof covered with photovoltaics would argue strongly for.

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Well, I travel about 35 miles a day, M-F, for work. It is pretty low demand on the car since a round trip usually gets me between 57-62 MPG on the MFD. Occasionally, I will make a long trip (once a year between 2200-3200 miles). The only reason for the solar panels would be for the long trips when the hotel manager might look at me funny with the extension cord running from the car to the room. :P

With panels on the roof, and windshield and back window panel inserts (when parked) I figure I could get 120-160 watts (per hour I assume). Being in El paso is perfect since it is usually always sunny. Then charge from the grid when I get home.

The Prius with plug in battery would be awesome should prices jump $6+/gal or rationing is instituted. hahaha I would then actually feel a little bad for those Hummer drivers, well at least for a couple seconds.

[Bob Allen]

The Kuwaiti oil minister announced that the major Kuwaiti oil field is now in declining production. The Saudis are reported to be pumping huge amounts of water into their major oil field in order to get more oil out of a diminishing resource.

3 dollars will seem like a bargain in a few years. As a flight instructor, I wonder how long we will be flying small airplanes. You think 3 bucks is high; a Cessna burns 8-10 gph and av gas goes for almost 4 bucks a gallon. Believe me, I think about the conflict between my environmental self and my pilot self.

I read that Exxon has yet to pay damages for Prince William Sound....shit for ethics, all of them.

B

[sb_in_nc]

Originally posted by Walker1@Mar 17 2006, 01:22 PM
Where I live there is NO mass transit to speak of. It's 10+ miles into town.I hardly consider myself greedy just trying to go to work and buy groceries, etc. When a co. makes BILLIONS of $$ profit in 3 months something's very wrong with that picture. If anything they should be doing their part to keep our economy from tanking. I personally can't afford any more $$ just to get around. I haven't got a raise in pay for 3 years. When gas was $2/gal. it was taking a toll in my house.

Maybe not greedy but if you're 10+ miles from town and no public transport, you're gonna need lots of gas (or a horse).

How are the oil companies supposed to keep our economy from tanking?

[Godiva]

Originally posted by Tadashi@Mar 17 2006, 10:08 AM
Just curious what everyone here thinks will happen with gas prices.  How long do you think it will take for gas to reach $3, $5, or $6 a gal.  If things keep going like they have been in the last 3 years then I am thinking by Oct 07 we should be at $3 as a norm.

I was contemplating when it would be good to get the plug-in battery modification (http://www.edrivesystems.com/faq.html).  At $10k-$12k it would only be for the coolness factor to get it now, but should gas go up to $3-$6 and the battery get cheaper then it would easily pay for itself.

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It will go up right before Easter break.

Then it will come down a little, but not as low as beginning of the year.

It will go up into the $3 range through July/August.

Then it will come down again and stay down through Christmas and in to the new year. But not as low as the previous year.

Then it will steadily creep up again.

Their goal is $5 a gallon within 5 years.

No, I have NO facts. This is entirely speculation, prediction, guessing and abstract logic upon my part.

But you might want to bookmark this thread and see how close I come. Sometimes I'm really scarey.