Publications

Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, January 2023

3/20/2023

The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for January 2023 is a quarterly report on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue describes prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders between January 1, 2023 and January 15, 2023, and then averaged in order to determine regional price trends by fuel and variability in fuel price within regions and among regions. The prices collected for this report represent retail, at-the-pump sales prices for each fuel, including Federal and state motor fuel taxes.

Table 2 reports that the nationwide average price (all amounts are per gallon) for regular gasoline has decreased 74 cents from $4.05 to $3.31; diesel decreased 59 cents from $5.17 to $4.58; CNG increased 37 cents from $2.88 to $3.25; ethanol (E85) decreased 41 cents from $3.18 to $2.77; propane increased 11 cents from $3.55 to $3.65; and biodiesel (B20) decreased 43 cents from $4.89 to $4.46.

According to Table 3, CNG is 6 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis and E85 is 29 cents more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.

Authors: Bourbon, E.

Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, October 2022

1/11/2023

The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for October 2022 is a quarterly report on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue describes prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders between October 1, 2022 and October 15, 2022, and then averaged in order to determine regional price trends by fuel and variability in fuel price within regions and among regions. The prices collected for this report represent retail, at-the-pump sales prices for each fuel, including Federal and state motor fuel taxes.

Table 2 reports that the nationwide average price (all amounts are per gallon) for regular gasoline has decreased 65 cents from $4.70 to $4.05; diesel decreased 47 cents from $5.64 to $5.17; CNG increased 12 cents from $2.76 to $2.88; ethanol (E85) decreased 75 cents from $3.93 to $3.18; propane decreased 24 cents from $3.79 to $3.55; and biodiesel (B20) decreased 45 cents from $5.34 to $4.89.

According to Table 3, CNG is $1.17 less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis and E85 is 8 cents more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.

Authors: Bourbon, E.

Ready Set Go! 2023 Ethanol Outlook

1/1/2023

While the U.S. economy experienced turbulence in 2022, the ethanol industry’s financial performance was strong and biorefineries continued to stimulate crucial economic activity in communities across the country. Consumer price inflation was the highest in decades, spurred in part by record gasoline prices that put a damper on fuel demand. However, the ethanol content of gasoline (i.e., the ethanol “blend rate”) continued to increase due to its cost-competitiveness and the expanded availability of E15 and flex fuels. And, as international markets also faced high fuel prices and tight supplies, ethanol exports rose sharply. As a result, ethanol production increased to more than 15.4 billion gallons and has now almost rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. This report looks at the state of the ethanol industry in 2022 and focus areas for 2023.

Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, July 2022

10/13/2022

The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for July 2022 is a quarterly report on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue describes prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders between July 1, 2022 and July 15, 2022, and then averaged in order to determine regional price trends by fuel and variability in fuel price within regions and among regions. The prices collected for this report represent retail, at-the-pump sales prices for each fuel, including Federal and state motor fuel taxes.

Table 2 reports that the nationwide average price (all amounts are per gallon) for regular gasoline has increased 57 cents from $4.13 to $4.70; diesel increased 58 cents from $5.06 to $5.64; CNG increased 17 cents from $2.59 to $2.76; ethanol (E85) increased 39 cents from $3.54 to $3.93; propane increased 26 cents from $3.53 to $3.79; and biodiesel (B20) increased 72 cents from $4.62 to $5.34.

According to Table 3, CNG is $1.94 less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis and E85 is 40 cents more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.

Authors: Bourbon, E.

Assessment of Light-Duty EV Costs and Consumer Benefits in the United States in the 2022–2035 Time Frame

10/3/2022

This paper analyzes bottom-up vehicle component-level costs to assess average battery electric vehicle, plug-in hybrid vehicle, and conventional vehicle prices across major U.S. light-duty vehicle classes through 2035. These cost estimates are used to evaluate broader consumer benefits, as well as to discuss the implications for vehicle pollution regulations in the United States.

Authors: Slowik, P.; Isenstadt, A.; Pierce, L.; Searle, S.

Notes:

This copyrighted publication can be accessed on the International Council on Clean Transportation's website.

Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, April 2022

6/28/2022

The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for April 2022 is a quarterly report on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue describes prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders between April 1, 2022 and April 15, 2022, and then averaged in order to determine regional price trends by fuel and variability in fuel price within regions and among regions. The prices collected for this report represent retail, at-the-pump sales prices for each fuel, including Federal and state motor fuel taxes.

Table 2 reports that the nationwide average price (all amounts are per gallon) for regular gasoline has increased 85 cents from $3.28 to $4.13; diesel increased by $1.44 from $3.62 to $5.06; CNG increased 10 cents from $2.49 to $2.59; ethanol (E85) increased 57 cents from $2.97 to $3.54; propane increased 11 cents from $3.42 to $3.53; and biodiesel (B20) increased by $1.20 from $3.42 to $4.62.

According to Table 3, CNG is $1.54 less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis and E85 is 47 cents more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.

Authors: Bourbon, E.

Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, January 2022

5/10/2022

The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for January 2022 is a quarterly report on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue describes prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders between January 1, 2022 and January 15, 2022, and then averaged in order to determine regional price trends by fuel and variability in fuel price within regions and among regions. The prices collected for this report represent retail, at-the-pump sales prices for each fuel, including Federal and state motor fuel taxes.

Table 2 reports that the nationwide average price (all amounts are per gallon) for regular gasoline has increased 3 cents from $3.25 to $3.28; diesel increased 14 cents from $3.48 to $3.62; CNG increased 16 cents from $2.33 to $2.49; ethanol (E85) increased 24 cents from $2.73 to $2.97; propane increased 25 cents from $3.17 to $3.42; and biodiesel (B20) increased 13 cents from $3.29 to $3.42.

According to Table 3, CNG is 79 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis and E85 is 59 cents more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.

Authors: Bourbon, E.

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Standards Technology Review

2/1/2022

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) adopted the Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Standards Regulation in 2019 to reduce barriers to accessing public charging stations. The EVSE Standards Regulation establishes minimum requirements for payment methods an EVSE must allow, facilitates roaming agreements between electric vehicle service providers, creates a more complete database of location and pricing information for consumer use, and ensures clarity in the cost of a charging session. To assess barriers drivers may face and understand whether the requirements of the Regulation, particularly the requirement that EVSE must accept both chip payment cards and contactless, “tap” cards, CARB staff conducted a Technology Review. The Technology Review included an evaluation of the availability and use of different payment methods and a survey of drivers’ experiences accessing public charging stations. This report presents the findings and recommendations from that work.

Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, October 2021

12/15/2021

The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for October 2021 is a quarterly report on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue describes prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders between October 1, 2021 and October 15, 2021, and then averaged in order to determine regional price trends by fuel and variability in fuel price within regions and among regions. The prices collected for this report represent retail, at-the-pump sales prices for each fuel, including Federal and state motor fuel taxes.

Table 2 reports that the nationwide average price (all amounts are per gallon) for regular gasoline has increased 16 cents from $3.09 to $3.25; diesel increased 22 cents from $3.26 to $3.48; CNG increased 11 cents from $2.22 to $2.33; ethanol (E85) increased 11 cents from $2.62 to $2.73; propane increased 19 cents from $2.98 to $3.17; and biodiesel (B20) increased 24 cents from $3.05 to $3.29.

According to Table 3, CNG is 92 cents less than gasoline on an energy- equivalent basis and E85 is 30 cents more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.

Authors: Bourbon, E.

Ethanol Production in the United States: The Roles of Policy, Price, and Demand

11/26/2021

Assessments of the impact of the U.S. renewable fuel standard (RFS) should inform consideration of future biofuels policy. Conventional wisdom suggests the RFS played a major role in stimulating the ten-fold expansion in ethanol production and consumption in the United States from 2002 to 2019, but evidence increasingly suggests the RFS may have had a smaller effect than previously assumed. Price competitiveness, federal and state policies such as reformulated gasoline requirements, and octane content in ethanol also affect market attractiveness. This study explores the roles of policy and economic factors by comparing historical data with results from scenarios simulated in a system dynamics model.

Authors: Newes, E.; Clark, C.; Vimmerstedt, L.; Peterson, S.; Burkholder, D.; Korotney, D.; Inman, D.

Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, July 2021

9/15/2021

The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for July 2021 is a quarterly report on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue describes prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders between July 1, 2021 and July 15, 2021, and then averaged in order to determine regional price trends by fuel and variability in fuel price within regions and among regions. The prices collected for this report represent retail, at-the-pump sales prices for each fuel, including Federal and state motor fuel taxes.

Table 2 reports that the nationwide average price (all amounts are per gallon) for regular gasoline has increased 27 cents from $2.82 to $3.09; diesel increased 15 cents from $3.11 to $3.26; CNG increased 3 cents from $2.19 to $2.22; ethanol (E85) increased 22 cents from $2.40 to $2.62; propane increased 5 cents from $2.93 to $2.98; and biodiesel (B20) increased 23 cents from $2.82 to $3.05.

According to Table 3, CNG is 87 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis and E85 is 31 cents more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.

Authors: Bourbon, E.

Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, April 2021

7/6/2021

The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for April 2021 is a quarterly report on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue describes prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders between April 1, 2021 and April 15, 2021, and then averaged in order to determine regional price trends by fuel and variability in fuel price within regions and among regions. The prices collected for this report represent retail, at-the-pump sales prices for each fuel, including Federal and state motor fuel taxes.

Table 2 reports that the nationwide average price (all amounts are per gallon) for regular gasoline has increased 50 cents from $2.32 to $2.82; diesel increased 47 cents from $2.64 to $3.11; CNG remained the same at $2.19; ethanol (E85) increased 36 cents from $2.04 to $2.40; propane increased 8 cents from $2.85 to $2.93; and biodiesel (B20) increased 40 cents from $2.42 to $2.82.

According to Table 3, CNG is 63 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis and E85 is 30 cents more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.

Authors: Bourbon, E.

Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, January 2021

4/23/2021

The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for January 2021 is a quarterly report on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue describes prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders between January 1, 2021 and January 15, 2021, and then averaged in order to determine regional price trends by fuel and variability in fuel price within regions and among regions. The prices collected for this report represent retail, at-the-pump sales prices for each fuel, including Federal and state motor fuel taxes.

Table 2 reports that the nationwide average price (all amounts are per gallon) for regular gasoline has increased 14 cents from $2.18 to $2.32; diesel increased 24 cents from $2.40 to $2.64; CNG increased 1 cent from $2.18 to $2.19; ethanol (E85) increased 8 cents from $1.96 to $2.04; propane increased 12 cents from $2.73 to $2.85; and biodiesel (B20) increased 13 cents from $2.29 to $2.42.

According to Table 3, CNG is 13 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is $0.33 more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.

Authors: Bourbon, E.

Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, October 2020

10/15/2020

The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for October 2020 is a quarterly report on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue describes prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders between October 1, 2020 and October 15, 2020, and then averaged in order to determine regional price trends by fuel and variability in fuel price within regions and among regions. The prices collected for this report represent retail, at-the-pump sales prices for each fuel, including Federal and state motor fuel taxes.

Table 2 reports that the nationwide average price (all amounts are per gallon) for regular gasoline has decreased 4 cents from $2.22 to $2.18; diesel decreased 8 cents from $2.48 to $2.40; CNG increased 3 cents from $2.15 to $2.18; ethanol (E85) decreased 3 cents from $1.99 to $1.96; propane decreased 1 cent from $2.74 to $2.73; and biodiesel (B20) decreased 6 cents from $2.35 to $2.29.

According to Table 3, CNG is equal in price to gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is $0.36 more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.

Authors: Bourbon, E.

Levelized Cost of Charging Electric Vehicles in the United States

7/15/2020

The cost to charge an electric vehicle (EV) varies depending on the price of electricity at different charging sites (home, workplace, or public), vehicle use, region, and time of day, and for different charging power levels and equipment and installation costs. This paper provides a detailed assessment of the 2019 levelized cost of light-duty PEV charging in the United States, considering the purchase and installation costs of charging equipment and electricity prices from real-world utility tariffs.

Authors: Borlaug, B.; Salisbury, S.; Gerdes, M.; Muratori, M.

Notes:

This Joule article (Vol. 4, Issue 7, (July 2020): pp. 1470-1485) is copyrighted by Elsevier Inc. and can be accessed through Science Direct.