California gas prices set for all-time record only seen in apocalyptic horror movie

California gas prices are starting to look like something out of an apocalyptic movie with drivers just pennies away from a new state record.

The average price for a gallon of regular has been surging toward the all-time California high, leaving motorists facing pump prices that would have seemed like a Hollywood dystopian fantasy just a few years ago.

And the state’s answer?

Move up the switch to winter-blend gasoline.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday that California would allow the less-expensive winter formulation to be produced, imported, distributed and sold earlier than usual in an effort to boost supplies and take some pressure off prices. The move could provide some relief, but it does little to address the deeper problems that have made California particularly vulnerable to gas-price spikes in the first place.

The Golden State operates a uniquely isolated fuel market, leaving it unusually exposed when supplies get tight. Refinery closures have reduced in-state production, while California’s dependence on imports can make it harder and more expensive to quickly replace lost supply.

Then there’s the state’s infamous “California premium.”

Drivers pay higher excise taxes, sales taxes and local fees, along with costs associated with California-specific climate programs. The state also requires a special gasoline blend designed to reduce smog — a more expensive formulation that is produced by California refineries and a limited number of suppliers in Asia.

Critics have argued that refinery shutdowns have further weakened California’s energy security, shrinking supply and leaving motorists increasingly exposed to price shocks.

The latest spike also comes amid broader turmoil in global energy markets, adding another layer of pressure to California’s already-constrained fuel system.

All these factors have led to a gallon of regular costing an average of $6.38 in the state as of Tuesday.

Earlier this month Polymarket, a prediction market platform, asked users what price they thought gas would hit by the end of September.

Writing on X, “California gas prices have begun approaching the levels depicted in 2007 dystopian film “I Am Legend.”