Rising gasoline prices may just make other forms of alternative means of transportation become more attractive. One of the ways not to be affected by the rising prices of gas is to have an alternative means of travel. Of course, saving up on gasoline use may help in some way, but such actions may still leave one affected with the rising prices of gas. A better way would be trying to use a mode of transportation aside from one that makes use of fuel aside from gasoline. One such example is the use of an electric car.
As the sudden rise in gasoline prices have made people become more concerned, it would also be very important to know about the different factors that give rise to such increases in the first place. There are four main elements that affect the pricing of gasoline in the retail market, primary of which is the price of crude oil in the world market.
Crude oil is the initial raw material from where gasoline is refined and derived from. Crude oil, a majority of it, is sourced and supplied from Middle East countries. It is these countries that have control over the price of crude oil in the world market. Countries that get their crude oil supply from these oil producing countries are the most affected by the sudden increase in crude oil prices. Overall, crude oil pricing affects about 75 percent of the price tag for gasoline in the retail market.
Performance-wise, electric cars offer smoother and noiseless operation that cars relying on gasoline. Electric cars provide stronger acceleration and the electric motor requires lesser maintenance than the internal combustion engines of cars using gasoline and other fossil fuels. By using electricity through batteries, energy conversion is more efficient. Electric motors makes use of 75 percent of the chemical energy converted into electricity to run the car. Internal combustion engines or ICE’s only are able to make use about 20 percent of the energy stored in gasoline to power the vehicle.
Aside from the price of crude oil and refining costs, distribution costs also account for a great deal of the retail price of gasoline in the market. Aside from shipping and overseas transport costs, distributing gasoline to the different gasoline stations in the area may also account for the retail price of the gasoline. Some areas may have some difficulties obtaining their gasoline supply due to distance as well as accessibility while some have it easy because of being in close proximity to major gas depots. It is through this that gas prices may also differ from one area to another. Distribution also affects the gasoline retail price.
Taxes on gasoline also may affect how the product may be priced on the retail market. Different countries follow different sets of taxation for crude oil as well as gasoline. There are national as well as local taxes to contend with when it comes to gasoline. Some places have lower taxes put on gasoline as compared to others. But these places have something in common in that these taxes affect gasoline prices a great deal. The higher the taxes placed on crude oils products and byproducts such as gasoline, the higher the price tag would be when it finally arrives in the retail market. Controlling the taxes put on gasoline may be a way to bring gasoline prices down to some extent. But they are not the only answer to an eventual reduction in gas prices. And will this rising casoline prices effect cars quotes in the future?
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