What gas costs in Puerto Rico and why
The importance of fuel economy in Puerto Rico
How you can use less fuel
Final Word
What gas costs in Puerto Rico and why
Gasoline prices in Puerto Rico are usually pretty high. You might be fooled by hearing that the average price of gas since 1998 until now was seventy-three cents per liter. That’s because gas is sold by the liter in Puerto Rico, not the gallon. So, there approximately 3.79 liters in a gallon. That means the average price for gas in Puerto Rico since 1998, per gallon, was $2.77.
That is fairly high by comparison to most US states. The reason for this is that the supply is more costly because of the cost of getting gas to Puerto Rico. It is also because public transportation is quite limited in Puerto Rico. Thus, more people need to gas up their cars per capita than most places. Hence, demand is higher which justifies a higher price.
The importance of fuel economy in Puerto Rico
So with the price of gas being a bit higher in Puerto Rico, it is clear that fuel economy is more important than it normally is. Fuel economy is how cost-effectively gas is used by your car. So, you obviously want to have a car that does not use an unnecessary amount of fuel in Puerto Rico.
You want to own a car that gets about thirty miles per gallon of gas, or higher if possible. Electric cars and hybrids tend to have a much higher fuel economy than even that but the cost of charging them will end up undoing some of the benefit of the great fuel economy.
Some cars that have a good fuel economy include Toyota Corolla, Toyota Camry, Honda Insight, Ford Fusion and Lexus UX.
How you can use less fuel
You should not choose a car solely based on fuel economy. Odds are that you already own a car. Here are some ways you can use less gas without getting an entirely different car:
- Use the A/C sparingly – It can get hot and humid in Puerto Rico but try and keep your car cool by parking in the shade or by using a sun reflector. This way, you will need to use your air conditioning less.
- Pay attention to your tires – Your tires are actually quite important to fuel economy. If they are not inflated correctly it will increase resistance which will make your engine work harder. Also, if you do not get your tires aligned and rotated, they can wear much more easily which will increase fuel consumption.
- Go easy on the pedals – Simply put, accelerating hard and braking suddenly wastes gas. Doing it infrequently will only waste a negligible amount but if you do it consistently, it will add up quickly.
- Keep your windows closed on highways – When you are driving faster, having your windows open will decrease aerodynamics which will increase the amount your car’s engine needs to work. Thus, if you keep your windows closed on highways, you will burn less gas.
- Make less trips – Try to combine your trips. If you need to make trips to three different stores, make one trip rather than taking your car out three times.
Final Word
If you are in the position where you can choose a new car, you should definitely consider buying a car with a better fuel efficiency. It will save you money and trips to the gas station as well. However, most of you will likely already have a car. So, do what you can to decrease your fuel usage such as closing your windows when you are driving at higher speeds.
