Gasoline prices are to fall NT$0.2 per liter this week, after rising for the past three weeks, as global crude oil prices moved lower last week, CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) and Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化) said in separate statements yesterday.
Crude oil prices fell as the market expected the US Federal Reserve to raise interest rates by 25 basis points next month, and US retail sales fell in February and last month, pointing to a slowing US economy and signaling weak demand for oil, CPC said.
Prices were also affected by the unexpected rise in US gasoline inventories last week, along with an increase in US unemployment claims, Formosa said.
Gasoline prices at CPC and Formosa stations are today to decrease to NT$29.6, NT$31.1 and NT$33.1 per liter for 92, 95 and 98-octane unleaded gasoline respectively, the companies said.
The price of premium diesel is also to fall NT$0.2 per liter to NT$27.4 at CPC stations and to NT$27.2 at Formosa pumps, they said.
Separately, CPC on Friday launched charging facilities for electric vehicles (EVs) at its Guangming gas station in Hsinchu City, and said it would offer free charging at the location until May 21.
The facilities include two 200 kilowatt (kW) charging piles with double connectors, three 100kW fast-charging piles with double connectors, and four 7kW slow-charging piles with single connectors, which meet the charging needs of US and European EV models, CPC said in a separate statement.
The project is part of the company’s transformation plans as it aims to build 28 fast-charging stations in Taiwan and create an EV-friendly environment within five years through collaboration with major charging providers and EV vendors, CPC said.
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