Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason. ","collapsible":{"enabled":true,"maxHeight":250,"readMoreText":"Read more","readLessText":"Read less"}}), "https://slice.vanilla.futurecdn.net/13-4-24/js/authorBio.js"); } else { console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); } Mark Tyson Social Links Navigation News Editor Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason.
vanadiel007 Free market. I don't see the problem because we have similar things happening with RAM and Storage, all driven up big time in price by AI, in that case AI "demand". Reply
Why_Me California levies the highest gas tax in the nation at roughly $0.71 to $0.90 per gallon (depending on local taxes and environmental fees). This is more than double the national average and significantly outpaces other states, which generally range between $0.20 and $0.50 per gallon. The components of retail gasoline prices are taxes and fees, distribution and marketing, refining costs, and crude oil prices. Drivers in California pay the highest taxes at the pump, equivalent to $0.90 per gallon (gal) between local, state, and federal taxes as of March 2025. Federal taxes—which are the same for each state—account for $0.18 of the $0.90/gal in taxes. The other $0.72/gal is made up of state excise tax ($0.60/gal), state sales tax ($0.10/gal), and an underground storage tank fee ($0.02/gal). California’s state gasoline excise tax is the highest in the United States; the average across all states is $0.28/gal. Reply
llehcida Why_Me said: California levies the highest gas tax in the nation at roughly $0.71 to $0.90 per gallon (depending on local taxes and environmental fees). This is more than double the national average and significantly outpaces other states, which generally range between $0.20 and $0.50 per gallon. The components of retail gasoline prices are taxes and fees, distribution and marketing, refining costs, and crude oil prices. Drivers in California pay the highest taxes at the pump, equivalent to $0.90 per gallon (gal) between local, state, and federal taxes as of March 2025. Federal taxes—which are the same for each state—account for $0.18 of the $0.90/gal in taxes. The other $0.72/gal is made up of state excise tax ($0.60/gal), state sales tax ($0.10/gal), and an underground storage tank fee ($0.02/gal). California’s state gasoline excise tax is the highest in the United States; the average across all states is $0.28/gal. Don't forget CA "only" required custom blend of gas and chasing out large refineries. That couldn't be part of this…. Reply
Why_Me llehcida said: Don't forget CA "only" required custom blend of gas and chasing out large refineries. That couldn't be part of this…. California loves taxes. Reply
TechieTwo Come on… It's CA, you're suppose to like being abused to live there. 😉 Reply
Beta_Cyth Why_Me said: California loves taxes. If they are so democratic and tax loving and their population is tax the rich aligned. Why do the rich still not get taxed? Why are the rich allowed secret purchasing of priority and ownership rights against civil infrastructures built from taxes and tax payers? Do you think at all? Reply
USAFRet vanadiel007 said: Free market. I don't see the problem because we have similar things happening with RAM and Storage, all driven up big time in price by AI, in that case AI "demand". This seems to be the opposite of "free market". This is all the vendors colluding and working together to drive prices higher. Reply
alrighty_then I thought AI was going to read your license plate, look you up and set a price accordingly to what thye think you'd pay at the pump… To just keep all prices in sync across stations and artifically high, you don't need AI for that. Reply
COLGeek alrighty_then said: I thought AI was going to read your license plate, look you up and set a price accordingly to what thye think you'd pay at the pump… To just keep all prices in sync across stations and artifically high, you don't need AI for that. Lets not give anyone any new "awesome" ideas…;) Reply
USAFRet alrighty_then said: I thought AI was going to read your license plate, look you up and set a price accordingly to what thye think you'd pay at the pump… To just keep all prices in sync across stations and artifically high, you don't need AI for that. By using advanced license plate recognition technology to track vehicles coming in and out of your gas station, you can provide personalized service , reward loyal customers, and even simplify payments . https://platerecognizer.com/benefits-alpr-for-gas-stations-improving-efficiency-security/ Reply
Key considerations
- Investor positioning can change fast
- Volatility remains possible near catalysts
- Macro rates and liquidity can dominate flows
Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/california-drivers-accuse-gas-station-operators-of-using-ai-to-boost-pump-prices-lawsuit-seeks-damages-for-antitrust-violations#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com/subscription
- The Swiss army knife of USB DVD drives is on sale, also features a built-in M.2 SSD slot, USB hub, and SATA hard drive dock — $26 for DVD writer and hub, $39 ge
- The best Prime Day soldering iron deals for hobbyists and makers right now — take advantage of these limited-time sale discounts on digital irons, premium solde
- NAIRR Science Program Reshapes Scientific Research, Powered by NVIDIA AI Infrastructure
- Get up to $900 off a new Dell PC — instant savings on everyday systems to powerful gaming rigs
- NVIDIA Vera CPU Opens the Way for Agentic Scientific AI at Los Alamos National Laboratory
Informational only. No financial advice. Do your own research.