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Why is it higher than petrol. I thought it was easier to refine and cheaper to refine?
So , why is it a higher price?
I would imagine higher diesel prices really does hurt the average consumer.
Thoughts?
James
there are a few reasons why diesel is more expensive than gasoline these days;
1: the demand for diesel is higher today than it was 10 years ago, and as such less diesel is actually available.
2: with the latest ultra low sulfur regulations, more sulfur has to be refined out of the fuel, and while low sulfur diesel wasnt that difficult to refine, ulsd is.
3: then we have the advent of biodiesel. essentially waste vegetable oil refined into diesel but without the sulfur. the problem there is the lye and the methanol used to strip the glycerine from the vegetable oil is expensive, fine for small runs like 25 gallons, but when you are talking 1,000,000 gallons the story changes.
4: diesel isnt subsidized like gasoline with ethanol blended in is.
Here in IL land of the highest gas prices, diesel is currently WAY less expen$ive. $3.75 / gal as compared to $4.40/gal for regular. Currently they are working refineries or some other nonsense... I do expect the prices to go down eventually... hopefully soon.
I regularly get 32mpg out of a VW passat which is driven in traffic commuting. Hwy I have gotten as high as 52mpg.
The whole winter starting, fuel gelling thing is what keeps them from being more popular here in the MW.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbohm
there are a few reasons why diesel is more expensive than gasoline these days;
1:.....
nuther reason...for Diesel price in USA
Diesel drivers are not the voting block that SUV drivers are.
Actually... world demand is driving the price (and yes it is a lower distilate than Gas, so presumably cheaper to refine... but if you are making gobs of GAS... you have additional byproducts to generate $$. (better for refinery)). + USA consumers FORGET the gallons of Diesel used to produce and deliver their CHEAP food.
I will hold out for Algae fuel. Been getting 50 mpg for last 37 yrs, no OPEC required.
Today I reset Odometer in one of my 97 Passat TDI wagons. 48.5 MPG for 4,000 mile average (city Highway combined/ 33 mph average). I do like my 25 gal tank... 1200+ miles between fuel stops. Not even 1/2 to empty at 600 miles!
Their claim that you can save over 3K in 3 years driving a diesel Jetta (versus a petrol-powered Jetta I presume?) is the first clue that this article is FOS. Depending on your driving habits and your local fuel price trends you may well come out ahead in the long run by going diesel, but some of the claims made in this article are absurd on their face.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gardener34
Here in IL land of the highest gas prices, diesel is currently WAY less expen$ive. $3.75 / gal as compared to $4.40/gal for regular.
I have no idea where you're getting these numbers from. Right now regular is hovering around $3.75/gal out in the west suburbs and $3.50/gal downstate.
OK - I think that may have been a couple weeks ago prices - have they come down a lot? $4.53/and $4.56 gal in Chicago was what I saw on the 16th of June or so. There is still no doubt IL has the highest gas prices though neck and neck with NY I think. Diesel has typically been higher than gas though.
Whiting refinery is currently involved in a huge modernization.
OK - I think that may have been a couple weeks ago prices - have they come down a lot? $4.53/and $4.56 gal in Chicago was what I saw on the 16th of June or so. There is still no doubt IL has the highest gas prices though neck and neck with NY I think. Diesel has typically been higher than gas though.
Whiting refinery is currently involved in a huge modernization.
Great, maybe they'll stop dumping mercury into the lake.
Here in IL land of the highest gas prices, diesel is currently WAY less expen$ive. $3.75 / gal as compared to $4.40/gal for regular. Currently they are working refineries or some other nonsense... I do expect the prices to go down eventually... hopefully soon.
I regularly get 32mpg out of a VW passat which is driven in traffic commuting. Hwy I have gotten as high as 52mpg.
I just filled up with regular, for $3.12 per gallon. Diesel, at the same station, is $3.79 per gallon.
I know it fluctuates some, but around there the price of diesel has consistently run around 50 cents per gallon higher, than gas, for several years.
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neck and neck with NY I think. Diesel has typically been higher than gas though.
