Petrol hits $4 a litre in some Auckland suburbs, stations ‘run out’

The price for petrol in Auckland has hit $4 a litre for the first time since the outbreak of war three weeks ago.

BP New Lynn is today charging $4.039 for ultimate 98, one of its “top performance” fuels, and $3.649 for unleaded 91.

According to fuel tracker app Gaspy, Mobil on Walmsley Rd in Favona is charging $4.00 per litre for both 91 and 98, while BP Ormiston is at $3.99 for 91.

The average petrol price across the city of sails today is sitting at $3.15 per litre for 91, $3.34 for 95, $3.56 for 98 and $2.94 for diesel.

The BP New Lynn price is confirmed in a photo taken by a Herald journalist (see below). However Gaspy has warned drivers to be cautious on the $4 reading at other stations.

App spokesperson Mike Newton told RNZ that while 91 was near that level in the more remote parts of the country or difficult to access stations, people marking empty petrol stations with a $4 price could be skewing the data in more central areas.

He said people were marking the price high so those stations moved to the bottom of the list.

Gull Henderson had also reportedly run out of fuel as of 10.20am. Facebook users have claimed Gull Onehunga and Gull New Lynn are also completely out of fuel and that Gull Papatoetoe is out of 91.

Z Energy has posted an update on its website and app that Sharetank top-ups are currently unavailable.

BP New Lynn in Auckland has tipped just over $4 a litre for Ultimate 98 petrol. Photo / NZME

Sharetank allows Z customers to pre-purchase petrol or diesel while at a cheaper price and keep it stored digitally, until needing to refuel. It can be redeemed at any time despite current fuel prices at the pump and was allowed to be shared with up to five other Z users.

Drivers could buy up to 1000 litres at a time by finding the best price available within a 30km distance.

Z Energy said existing Sharetank balances can still be used as normal.

Fuel costs have increased significantly since the outbreak of war 21 days ago, with the average price for unleaded 91 surpassing $3 for the first time since June 2022, just five days ago.

The average price was $2.49 just over two weeks ago.

Fuel prices have been surging globally due to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s retaliation following US-Israeli strikes on the country.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has been described as the largest disruption to the global energy supply since the 1970s energy crisis and the largest in the history of the global oil market. Photo / Getty Images

To get the best bang for buck, Consumer NZ has recommended drivers download Gaspy.

“Gaspy, a crowd-fed app, is a good way to compare fuel prices quickly and easily between retailers.

“Once you have compared the prices in your local area you can figure out whether it’s worth your while travelling a bit further to make savings.”

Meanwhile, the Government is considering how it might prioritise fuel access as it prepares for the “worst-case scenario” in light of the Middle East conflict constraining global fuel supply and further increasing fuel prices.

Earlier this week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis urged people not to panic-buy fuel.

“There are about 50 days of petrol and diesel in the country, or on the way here, which is normal,” she said, noting that petrol stations that had run dry had done so because they were offering heavily discounted promotions.

Consumer NZ has given Kiwis tips on ways to use less fuel when driving:

1. Drive smooth: Speeding is not advised as it burns more petrol. Look ahead and try to moderate speed to use brakes less.
2. Remove unnecessary items from your car: store anything you don’t need at home – weight burns more fuel than necessary.
3. Check your tyre pressure: if tyres are flat, the car has to work harder to push them around. Ensure your tyres are pumped with air to the correct PSI.
4. Wind up the windows: using air-con is more efficient than rolling down the windows on a hot day, because air adds resistance to your car, making it less aerodynamic.
5. Drive less: if you can avoid using your car for short local trips, it’s best to walk or bike instead. Stringing together errands to do all at once rather than spreading them out also helps.