Axios

The average gas price nationwide is at almost $3 a gallon — the highest it's been in four years — and for those planning summer road trips, here are the states to avoid if you're looking for cheap gasoline.

Between the lines: Axios' energy reporter Amy Harder explains that while there is evidence that President Trump is at least a partial contributor to the rise in gas prices, other factors such as OPEC and Russia, which decided to cut oil production this year, and varying state taxes also have impacted prices.

As Tesla CEO Elon Musk is under "time pressure to fix problems," the company has flown in robots and equipment to help build batteries for the Model 3 sedan, according to a Reuters report.

Why it matters: Tesla temporarily halted production of the Model 3 last month, after pushing them out more slowly than originally planned. He pledged to be making 5,000 Model 3s a week by the middle of this year. Per Reuters, Musk says productivity will be dramatically increased by the new battery production, but it's not clear when the new production will be up-and-running. However, Tesla's "lack of consistency...has undercut Musk's production promises in the past." [Go deeper: Elon Musk's mean Twitter persona]

China has stayed out of regional conflicts in the Middle East for decades, but with its massive international infrastructure plan, Beijing is finally ramping up involvement — and it's determined to win influence.

Between the lines: If it's successful, a big reason will be that China hasn't taken sides or made enemies in the Middle East. The question is how long that can last.