Bay Area drivers paying $150 to fill up as Northern California suffers state’s highest gas prices
Drivers across the San Francisco Bay Area are facing steep fuel costs, with some motorists paying close to $150 just to fill their vehicles as gasoline prices continue climbing throughout Northern California.
According to new figures from the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price of gas has now passed $5 per gallon in every Bay Area county. The increase has turned a routine stop at the pump into a costly errand for many residents.
With prices hovering around $5.50 per gallon in parts of the region, filling the tank of a large SUV that holds about 27 gallons can cost between $148 and $150. Even drivers of smaller vehicles are feeling the strain. A typical 15-gallon sedan now requires roughly $80 to $85 for a full tank at current prices.
At a Chevron station in Menlo Park, where the average price was about $5.54 per gallon on Friday, some pumps displayed prices exceeding $7 per gallon. Drivers stopping there expressed disbelief at how expensive fuel had become.
One motorist told KRON 4 that after moving to California a few years ago, they had never seen prices this high. Another driver reacted to a pump total that surpassed $147, calling the cost unreasonable.
AAA data shows the highest average prices in the Bay Area clustered around San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Current county averages include:
Marin County: about $5.53 per gallon
San Francisco County: about $5.53 per gallon
San Mateo County: roughly $5.54 per gallon
Santa Clara County: about $5.53 per gallon
Alameda County: about $5.37 per gallon
Contra Costa County: about $5.40 per gallon
The surge has surprised many drivers, even in a region already known for some of the most expensive fuel in the United States.
Across California, the statewide average recently reached about $5.29 per gallon after rising sharply over the past several days, based on AAA statistics.
That figure is significantly higher than the national average of around $3.63 per gallon, meaning drivers in the Bay Area are paying nearly two dollars more per gallon than many Americans elsewhere.
Energy experts say several factors are contributing to the increase, including higher global oil prices, limited refinery capacity, and California’s strict fuel standards. These rules often cause price swings in the state to be more severe than in other parts of the country.
Drivers in California also pay higher taxes and fees tied to environmental and climate programs, which analysts say add to the cost at the pump. The state mandates a special fuel blend intended to reduce pollution, but it is more expensive to produce.
Last week, Chevron sent a strongly worded letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom warning that the state’s climate policies could lead to serious economic consequences.
Some state lawmakers have also cautioned that Newsom’s environmental agenda could push gasoline prices past $8 per gallon in the future, raising concerns that fuel rationing — not seen since the 1970s — could return if costs continue rising.
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