Drivers ditch premium as record 90-cent gap pushes regular gas sales up 10%

Record price differences between premium and regular gasoline are pushing more U.S. drivers to switch to cheaper fuel, including some behind the wheel of luxury and performance vehicles. On July 3, AAA reported national averages of $3.81 per gallon for regular versus $4.70 for premium, a gap of about 90 cents—the largest on record. Bloomberg reported that, from June 22 to June 25, regular sales ran about 10% above the February average, while premium was nearly 5% lower and mid-grade fell roughly 2%. GasBuddy’s Patrick De Haan said the increase accelerated after price spikes tied to the Iran conflict and typically leads to “premium cannibalized to regular.” The article notes that drivers may face drawbacks when their cars only recommend premium or require it for performance and protection, with warnings from Porsche and BMW. It also cites concerns about potential vehicle impact if the wrong fuel grade is used.