LA Drivers Face Staggering $8.21 Gas Prices at Chevron Station

Soaring gas costs in California spark fears of 1970s-style fuel rationing

Mar. 8, 2026 at 3:42am

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Californians are facing an out-of-control gas crisis, with prices at one Chevron station in downtown Los Angeles reaching a staggering $8.21 per gallon. Drivers forced to fill up at this station are speeding away in disgust after paying over $100 to top off their tanks. The high prices are driven by a combination of state taxes, environmental regulations, and global oil market instability, leading some lawmakers to warn of a potential return to 1970s-style fuel rationing.

Why it matters

The skyrocketing gas prices in California, exemplified by the $8.21 per gallon at the Chevron station, highlight the growing economic burden on residents and the potential for broader social disruption if the crisis continues. This issue touches on debates around energy policy, environmental regulations, and the state's ability to weather global market shocks.

The details

The Chevron station at 901 N. Alameda St. in downtown LA has become a stark symbol of the worsening gas crisis in the state. A regular gallon of unleaded gas at this station costs an eye-popping $8.21, leading drivers who are forced to fill up there to speed away in disgust after paying over $100 to top off their tanks. The high prices are driven by a combination of factors, including higher-than-average state excise and sales taxes, fees for California's unique climate programs, and the requirement for a costlier eco-friendly fuel blend that can only be produced by the state's refineries and a few Asian countries.

  • On Saturday, the average cost of a regular gallon of gas in California hit $5.07 — 17 cents more than Friday and 43 cents more than a week earlier.
  • Some lawmakers believe gas prices could reach $8 a gallon by the end of 2026.

The players

Jill Gottlieb

A social worker for the LA County Department of Health who paid $107 to fill up her 2017 Mercedes at the Chevron station.

Crystal

A 36-year-old from Orange County who pumped 3.7 gallons for $30.47 at the Chevron station, only enough to get her home.

Suzette Valladares

A Southern California state senator who warned that the gas price crisis risks potentially returning drivers to the desperate fuel rationing not seen since the 1970s.

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What they’re saying

“This is crazy. I've never filled up my tank for this much before.”

— Jill Gottlieb, Social worker

“This was the closest station I could find, so I had to stop. I'm only filling up enough to get home.”

— Crystal

“It's not scaremongering at all.”

— Suzette Valladares, Southern California state senator

What’s next

Some lawmakers believe gas prices could reach $8 a gallon by the end of 2026, potentially returning drivers to the desperate fuel rationing not seen since the 1970s.

The takeaway

The staggering $8.21 per gallon gas prices at the Chevron station in downtown LA highlight the growing economic burden on Californians and the potential for broader social disruption if the state's gas crisis continues. This issue touches on debates around energy policy, environmental regulations, and the state's ability to weather global market shocks.