A few years ago, I seem to recall the European gas price per gallon was something like $6 or $7. Last Friday I was very happy to pay $3.06/9 at a gas station near Front Royal, VA. I hope it will be even lower when I head the other way tomorrow.
The USA and other countries have been insulated from the hit of fossil fuel volatility for decades. As has the aviation industry globally.
In the late 90s I was paying 40p a litre for gas, the car did maybe 30mpg on a good day. That was a 2 litre SUV.
Ten years ago I was getting 46mpg consistently but the gas prices had doubled. I’d swapped for a (then new to market) Mazda CX-5 diesel which was more expensive to fill up but was more economical.
I’m currently paying 176p for gas. My town only has one gas station. If I go 7 miles, to a bigger town, the exact same gas station chain is selling it at 168p a litre. It has supermarket competition.
I’m swapping that car this week... For a 1.6l Tucson self charging petrol hybrid. Same form factor as the Mazda and cars since, but I’ve been testing it out for a few weeks.
In sports mode it accelerates quicker than any previous car in the class (even the 2.2l petrol ones I’ve had) but achieves it using the battery not the gas tank. Fuel consumption? 53mpg on average and I’ve not even kept it in economy mode.
So I’m getting a much faster car than I had 20 years ago, same size, and it’s using just over half the gas.
Environment be damned, I’m not going hybrid for the feels and smugness.
I’m going hybrid because the new car picks up its skirts faster than a can-can dancer, is faster, is noticeably more powerful, and will still be cheaper to run, than my 4 year old petrol equivalent.