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ORLANDO, Fla. - Gas prices in Florida have reached a new record high. According to AAA, the state average is now $4.39 for a gallon of regular gas – the highest since 2008.
The national average is only slightly higher at $4.41. AAA officials attribute the rise in gasoline to the unstable global oil market which has been in flux since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February.
Despite the rising prices, there may be a little relief on the way for Floridians.
After an emergency rule by the state’s Agriculture Commissioner, Nikki Fried says the state will allow E15 gas to be temporarily sold this summer. The ethanol blend is typically only available during winter months.
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Fried says this will increase supply across the state and should lower the price by about 10-cents a gallon.
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Florida gas prices soar to all-time record high
Gas prices in Florida have reached a new record high. According to AAA, the state average is now $4.39 for a gallon of regular gas – the highest since 2008.
"E15 is used half the year. You know, so this is not something that they're not used to putting into their cars. What this is doing is because we change blends depending on the climate and to see the heat and how that reacts to the temperature, so what this is doing is just extending that time period at which we can be able to use E15 before going to complete summer blends."
E15 is usually not available in the summer because it can cause more emissions when temperatures heat up. The federal government issued a waiver that allows states to continue to use E-15 fuel.
Fried also says she will be working with Florida’s Attorney General to make sure gas stations are not gouging customers.
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According to AAA, these are some ways to make the gas you have in your tank last longer:
- Combine your errands to limit how much you are driving
- Shop around for the best prices
- Pay with cash because some retailers charge extra to use a credit card
- Remove extra weight from your car
- AAA also recommends driving conservatively because accelerating too fast and speeding wastes fuel
Some gas stations are offering incentives to save on gas if you pay using their app. For example, Drivers can save 15-cents per gallon through June 12 by filling up at Wawa and paying with the app.
According to GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan, you can usually score the cheapest prices per gallon earlier in the week, on Monday and Tuesday. From there, the prices typically increase and reach their highest point on Friday and Saturday – right at the start of the weekend.
You can find the cheapest gas near you using FOX 35's Pump Patrol.