Good Question: Why does diesel cost so much more than regular gas?

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Depending on what kind of vehicle you drive, the recent rise in gas prices might be hitting you even harder. That’s the subject of today’s Good Question.

For today’s Good Question, Carole asks, since diesel fuel is less refined than regular gasoline, why does diesel fuel cost so much more?

It’s true that normal diesel fuel is easier to refine than gasoline, however, most diesel in the U.S. is now lower-sulfur diesel fuel. That increases production and distribution costs.

That’s just one reason the U.S. Energy Information Administration gives for why diesel is more expensive.

They say the demand for diesel fuel has been relatively high, especially in Europe, China, India, and the United States, which increases prices.

The federal excise tax for on-highway diesel fuel is also 24.4 cents per gallon. That’s six cents per gallon higher than the tax on gasoline.

Factor in all of that, and diesel has been more expensive than gasoline, almost consistently, since 2004.

If you have a Good Question you’d like us to try to answer, send it to goodquestion@wkyt.com.

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