Tesla CEO Elon Musk Wants $10 Gas, To Build A Kabillion Cars

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is speaking right now at Wired Live. What's he saying? For starters, he wants to buy a car factory from a Detroit automaker so he can produce 100,000 cars per year. More craziness below. More »

Swine Flu Drives Panic Up, Oil Prices Down

With Swine Flu possibly threatening global economy recovery, oil futures fell 4.5% to $49.25 a barrel today. That's good news for those of us planning to ride out the Swine Flupocalpyse in our cars. [Marketwatch]

Driver Charged $81 Billion For Filling Camaro Gas Tank

Juan Zamora pumped $26 of gas into his 1994 Chevy Camaro at his regular Conoco just like any other normal day. The only problem is his Paypal debit card recorded a transaction of $81,400,836,908. More »

What's Up With The Price Of Gas?

The price of gasoline's certainly lower than the record highs of this past summer. But are they low enough? More »

OPEC Approves Biggest Production Cut Ever, Market Goes "Meh"

OPEC today announced it will cut daily oil production by 2.2 million barrels, a response to the shrinking price of gas. And how did the market respond to the news? Crude is down.

National Gas Price Drops Below $2.00 Per Gallon, 50% In Five Months

The price of a regular gallon of gas dropped to an average of $1.97 on Friday, the lowest price since March 4, 2005, according to the Lundberg Survey. By comparison, gas prices hit a high of $4.11 on July of this year, meaning the price has changed more than 50% since the summer. Additionally, the average price of diesel fuel for that new 2009 Jetta SportWagen TDI is now just $2.93 per gallon, the first time that a ride on the green handle was less than $3.00. Now with cheap gas we can all conveniently forget about hybrid cars and go back to building body-on-frame sport utility vehicles and take Hummer off the auction block. We've got average prices for a smattering of cities below, but how much did a gallon cost you today?. More »

Oil Futures Close Below $70 A Barrel, Prices At The Pump Matching Historical Record

The futures price of a barrel of crude oil closed today at $69.85, down $4.69 a barrel since trading ended yesterday. This is the first time oil closed below $70 a barrel since June 2007, which forced us to ask the question: 'How much did a gallon of regular cost in June 2007?' Well, after a quick hunt we found the answer was $3 a gallon, with a low price of $2.75 in Jackson, Mississippi and the high in Chicago at $3.39. Where does that leave us? With a desire to shake our fists at big oil about why gas prices haven't come down...only to find out they have, and match the historical record almost perfectly. Dagnabit. [NYTimes, Gas prices from: CarSeek]

Best Thing About The Financiapocalypse? Cheap Gas!

As MSNBC reports, crude oil prices are creeping upward on reports of positive economic news around the globe, but not before they hit their lowest price in over a year on Friday: $77.70 a barrel. Turns out the global recession is lowering demand for oil, forcing prices into an overall downward trend, a cycle at least one analyst expects to continue in the short term. The result at home has been a drop in gas prices from a national average of $4.11 per gallon in mid-July to the current $3.35 for a gallon of dino-juice — just the thing to prop up consumer confidence, at least until OPEC's special meeting next month, which actually might have more to do with propping up the Dow Jones Industrial Average today than anything else. So do your part, folks: Drive your cars or the domestic terrorists on Wall Street win!

Financiapocalypse Is The New Gaspocalypse

If you haven't been paying attention lately, the price of a barrel of crude oil has dropped over the last month, trading today at a 13-month low of $78.61 in mid-day trading. Analysts are pointing toward the continued disintegration of the financial markets which could lead to drops in global productivity and thus fuel consumption. The gaspocalypse is indeed easing as we've seen such craziness as above, regular on sale for under the $2.99 figure right at our corner fuel stop. Sure is a far cry from that trade-halting $120-a-barrel price spike three weeks ago. [CNN Money]
Check out Gawker Media's full Financiapocalypse coverage at Economy.Consumerist.com!

Ford Stock Price Dips Below The Cost Of A Gallon Of Gas

Today, the price of a share of Ford stock dipped to $2.40 (as of 1:58 PM), the lowest price valuation on the automaker since 1983. In fact, at that price, we figure it's lower than the cost of a gallon of regular unleaded gas at any service station in the country. We decided we'd see if that was actually true. More »

DOT Reports Americans Still Driving Less

Transportation Secretary Mary Peters is lamenting the fact that Americans are driving less, resulting in declining gas tax revenues and decreased funding for road projects. As eTrucker reports, the federal government already had to make an emergency contribution of $8 billion to the DOT in September to continue in-progress projects. Statistics show Americans have driven 62.6 billion miles less than they did over the same nine-month period last year, leading Peters to remark "If we don’t evolve our policies, we will leave a sad legacy of old roads, crowded highways and unfulfilled transit ambitions." Which is exactly what we have now, so who do we blame for that? [eTrucker; Photo Credit]

Twitter Finds A Use Other Than Jalopnik, Helps Atlanta Residents Find Gas

We thought Twitter was only useful for Jalopnik readers looking to get notified when we run important stories by subscribing to our feed. But who knew the tool had other uses? In a definitive sign the looming gaspocalypse has in fact already arrived, Atlanta residents are using Twitter to help them locate gas stations that actually have fuel to sell. More »

Watching Tonight's Presidential Debate?

If you're watching tonight's Presidential debate — and why wouldn't you be as energy policy will affect the price you pay at the pump — head on over to Gawker's live-blog of the debate. Who knows, it could be fun! [Gawker, Photo Credit: Chron]

International Discontinues CXT, MXT And RXT Civilian Truck Line

International, makers of the stupidly huge and awesome CXT, MXT and RXT $90,000+ luxury consumer trucks, has killed its consumer products division. You can guess why: The rise of green fashion, gas prices and the whole "America doesn’t have money anymore" thing. The company will now focus exclusively on their commercial and military ranges. [Kicking Tires]

Price Of Oil Skyrockets Over 14% To $120 Per Barrel, End Of Days Draws Ever More Nigh

In case you don't have the ticker for oil prices set in your RSS feeder or a cerebral feed to the 24 hour news channels (I like CNBC for all the pretty colors! — Ed.), you might not know that the price on a barrel of light sweet crude jumped as much as 24% to above $130 per barrell at the New York Mercantile Exchange today, halting trading momentarily as prices exceeded the daily limit. The day ended with prices up 14.78% to a price of $120.00 for October contract expirations. Analysts are naming the cause as either confidence in the economic recovery following the proposed $700 billion plus bailout of the banking system or the runaway inflation that may be a result of the same action. Regardless of the reason, we just ran out and filled up our tanks before the shock hits gas stations, and we'd recommend the same to you if possible — as the gaspocalypse draws ever more nigh. [Marketwatch, More »

The Economy's Bad When Your Cocaine Bill Comes With A Fuel Surcharge

Anthony Salinas, 18, of Hammond, Indiana is just a businessman; He's got to watch out for his bottom line, and the rising price of gas has forced him to drop a fuel surcharge on top of what he sells — cocaine. It's not an ideal situation, but economic forces are driving up the cost of everything, and a small businessman can only absorb costs for so long until passing them on to the customer. More »

GM Seeing Uptick In Truck, SUV Sales According To Lutz

Bloomberg today reports that GM product czar Bob Lutz, referencing a handful of GM dealerships, is saying that the decline in pickup sales may be "bottoming out." Lutz apparently commented that dealers are seeing "some resurgence in demand for full-size SUVs and pickups," though he declined to mention specific figures — or the specific dealers reporting the demand. So, what's behind the new SUV boomlet? More »

Fuelly Offers Social Networking For The Mileage-Conscious, Green Dragons

Filling a need we didn't know we had until just now, a pair of developers have created a website that tracks your fill-ups in a community setting. Dubbed "Fuelly," because every web 2.0 application needs an adorably misspelled name, the site is actually quite fun and full-featured. Just add your car to the system and start tracking your mileage, how much you spend on gas, how you stack up to EPA estimates and how much you'd save by improving your mileage. Join now before weirdo dragons looking for 13-year-old cars take over the site. More »

Toyota Projects Gas Prices To Hit $5.00 By Middle Of Next Decade, We Think They're Being Optimistic

Toyota is basing its production plans on projections that US gas prices could rise as high as $5.00 a gallon as soon as 2015. The Japanese automaker also believes the full-size truck market will experience a significant recovery in the near future. Despite demand for its fuel-efficient Prius hybrid reaching an all-time high, it is unable to increase production of the vehicle until the 2011 model year. But gas hit $4.00 a gallon earlier this year: It seems unlikely that it'll take seven years for it to rise another dollar, so is Toyota being too optimistic with its projections? More »

US Vehicle Miles Traveled Drop 3.7% In May; Experts Think Could Possibly Be Related To Higher Gas Prices Or Something

According to a report from the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, Americans drove 3.7% less in May 2008 than in May 2007. It may not sound like much, but that equates to 9.6 billion fewer miles driven during a month particularly significant as a big vacation travel time. The report notes the decline is primarily due to high gas prices, but it's being used as a rallying cry for alternative infrastructure funding: With less fuel usage, gas taxes alone won't pay for desperately needed roadwork and bridge repair. We bet you Prius owners out there didn't think about how you were screwing over the rest of us, did you? More »

How Much Did It Cost To Fill Up For Gas Today?

Looks like gas prices are suddenly decreasing as the market realizes we have more supply than we thought we had...seriously. As much as this continues to makes us doubt the rationality of modern energy markets, we're at least happy it's going to be a cheaper commute for many Americans. Have the changes impacted you? Or is this more hot air? More »

Diesel-Powered Tiger Champ Pickup Gets 37 MPG, Only Road-Legal In Oklahoma

Mike Ward, CEO of Tiger Truck LLC, thinks his Chinese-designed, Oklahoma-built Tiger Champ truck is just what Oklahoma farmers need — particularly with 37 MPG from its Caterpillar-sourced three-cylinder diesel engine. With a retail price of about $13,000, the price point is certainly right. So why isn't the nation signing up for the Tiger Champ and its sister truck, the Tiger Star? Both trucks are slow. Neither pickup is legal, outside of Oklahoma, to drive on public roads. Oh, and neither meets federal safety standards. Good thing Ward's got friends in high places. More »

Sen. Larry Craig: Foreigners Shouldn't "Jerk Us Around By The Gas Nozzle"

Senator Larry Craig (R-Bathroom Fondling) was the member with the balls to grandstand in front of the open Senate in pursuit of relaxing the congressional ban on offshore drilling ban on some coastal areas. From every other distinguished member of the Senate, this wouldn't be funny. But then again, not every other member of the Senate have been busted trying to allegedly fool around in the men's room. [CrooksandLiars]

Chrysler Minivans To Get Hybrid, Diesel Power According To Windsor Daily

A recent report in the Windsor Star claims the cars Chrysler plans to hybridize by 2013...will be minivans. On top of that, they're even looking at a diesel version of the soccer mom-mobiles, with both to be built at the company's Windsor, Ontario plant. More »

Polling Confirms Americans Will Not Drive 55, Also They Don't Understand Energy Policy

Lacking a call-center or professional statisticians, we asked you what you thought the national speed limit should be. Apparently Rasmussen Reports don't trust us, and since they have both of those things, they decided to ask pretty much the same question. They found 59% oppose one, 34% support one and 7% aren't sure. What the poll also found — as well as our own version of the poll — after the jump. More »

GM To Employ Duct Tape, Rush Production Volt To Stage By September

GM is accelerating development of the 2010 Chevy Volt in an attempt to ready the production version for a reveal as the company celebrates its 100th anniversary in September. Although we know GM desperately needs a cutting-edge Prius-killing success to stem the sales slide, given past RenCen rush jobs, we're not sure that setting a time deadline instead of a performance benchmark is the best way to move forward. A look at potential pitfalls after the jump. More »

Gas-Mileage Savings Calculator Shows True Cost Of Trading Your Guzzler For A Sipper

As much as it may hurt to have to fill up your car every month (or week), the price of gas still isn't high enough to make trading in for a hybrid a reasonable solution for most, a reality punctuated by the Gas-Mileage Savings Calculator from Edmunds. The calculator takes the value of a trade-in compared to the cost of a more-efficient vehicle and, based on driving distances and the cost of gas, determines how long it would take to break even. For example, we took a 2006 Explorer XLT V8 and compared it to a new Jetta SportWagen TDI at $4.25 a gallon and 1,200 miles a month. At that rate it would take four years to make up the difference. The price of gas would have to rise to a ridiculous $16.50 a gallon to break even within a year — and we don't expect those prices until 2010 or so. Press release below the jump. More »

Toyota Corporate Blog Urges You To Buy A Toyota, Then Ride Your Bike

Toyota is taking an unusual step on their Open Road corporate blog by promoting the idea of driving less. At first glance, this would seem oxymoronic, but Toyota is careful not to say "don't buy a Tundra." They're just saying that once you do buy a Tundra, you should leave it parked in your driveway for special occasions and hoof it everywhere else. The PR folks at Open Road also offer some suggestions in case you actually have to drive your new Toyota, like avoiding drive-throughs (Prius owners with engine shut-off are excepted of course) and turning off the engine at red lights. After all, "Idling is bad." Umkay. So what to make of this unconventional strategy? More »

Hybrid SUVs Skip Gas-Guzzler Tax, Still Get Hybrid Credit Thanks To Tax Code Loophole

GM's two-mode hybrids, the Tahoe and Yukon, along with Chrysler's versions, the Durango and Aspen, have come to an ironic intersection in the tax code: These vehicles are eligible for a hybrid tax credit, yet theoretically should also be hit with the gas-guzzler tax. Does that sound like the world's loopiest loophole to you? We certainly think so. More »

And So It Begins: Sex Traded For $100 Gas Card

That thing you never thought you'd see happen in your lifetime? Yeah, it just did. A Kentucky woman was nabbed for prostitution after accepting a $100 gas card in payment for her "services." Angela Eversole and Kenneth Nowak were picked up outside of the Days Inn in Fort Wright, Kentucky after officers suspected sexual tom-foolery. Nowak admitted to his status as a John, and to paying Eversole with a $100 Speedway gas card. Welcome to the gaspocalypse, folks. [TheSmokingGun]

Kamper Krisis: Winnebago Profits Plunge 73%, We Offer Suggestions

RV manufacturer Winnebago has seen sales decline 40% in the third quarter, dragging profits down by an astonishing 73%. But what should the manufacturer of hulking, bricklike houses on wheels with no immediate potential for improved fuel economy expect? Although abandoned RVs have become popular housing options in the midst of the mortgage crisis, new RVs are not as similarly embraced. So what can Winnebago do? Some ideas after the jump. More »

Ex-Intel Chief Andy Grove Using Electric Cars To Achieve Relevance

Andy Grove, retired CEO of chipmaker Intel, apparently has grown bored of sailing the South Pacific and decided to insert himself into the debate over the future of transportation. A proponent of electric vehicles, Grove wrote, "The beauty of electric power is its ability to be produced through multiple sources...and its 'stickiness' — it can be transported only over land." This statement, showing Grove thinks AA batteries arrive from China over a distant land-bridge, tell us Andy may not have all the facts he needs. More »

MyGallons Introduces Service To Let You Lock-In Gas Prices At $4 A Gallon

Want to lock-in on current gas prices before they rise even further? Well, you could buy a Chrysler, or you could sign up for a MyGallons account. The new service works like a debit account for gas, where users pre-purchase gallons at a current price, assuming it'll go up from there. Of course, you've got to pay a $29.95 annual membership fee — and a $15 overdraft fee if you go over your prepaid balance, so it may not be worth it for some people. But, with 2,000 current members, and 200,000 gas stations across the country said to be participating, there are evidently quite a few people interested in the idea. More »

Prince Charles Converts Aston Martin To Run On Wine

There's rich, and then there's royalty. Lest you confuse the two, consider the fact that Britain's Prince Charles now drives an Aston Martin DB6 fueled by white wine. To be fair, the Prince's Aston actually runs on bioethanol distilled from surplus wine. It turns out EU countries cannot sell more than a set quota of wine, so any excess must be destroyed or turned into something else; motor fuel, for instance. The prince, wanting to do his part for the environment, elected to have his Aston converted to run on the stuff, since its CO2 emissions are 85% lower than those of gasoline. Don't expect this concept to catch on over here in the colonies anytime soon as even the cheapest box of Franzia is still more expensive than a gallon of wine gas. For the moment anyway. [This Is London]