Lawsuits allege 'hot fuel' costs drivers

[TechBear_Seattle]

Lawsuits allege 'hot fuel' costs drivers

ATLANTA - It's not just increased demand that sends summertime gasoline prices soaring. It's also the increased temperature. As the temperature rises, liquid gasoline expands and the amount of energy in each gallon drops. Since gas is priced at a 60-degree standard and gas pumps don't adjust for any temperature changes, motorists often get less bang for their buck in warmer weather.

Consumer watchdog groups warn that the temperature hike could end up costing consumers between 3 and 9 cents a gallon at the pump.

The effect could cost U.S. drivers more than $1.5 billion in the summertime, including $228 million to drivers in California alone, according to the House Subcommittee on Domestic Policy, which recently addressed it in hearings. The committee's chair, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, has long been an advocate on the issue and has new clout as a member of the congressional majority.

The story continues at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20070618/ap_tr_ge/travel_brief_hot_fuel

Mr. Kucinich is looking more and more like a presidential candidate I can support.

[havocmom]

1. Good catch, thanks

R'd

[BlooInBloo]

2. Whether it costs one or not would seem to depend on what the average locale temperature is.

EDIT: And the specific graph of volume vs. temperature.