Table 4-22M: Energy Intensity of Passenger Cars, Other 2-Axle 4-Tire Vehicles, and Motorcycles
Table 4-22M: Energy Intensity of Passenger Cars, Other 2-Axle 4-Tire Vehicles, and Motorcycles
| 1960 | 1965 | 1970 | 1975 | 1980 | 1985 | 1990 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle-kilometers (millions) | |||||||||||||
| Passenger car | 944,685 | 1,163,556 | 1,475,768 | 1,664,062 | 1,789,591 | 2,006,852 | 2,265,956 | 2,314,237 | 2,365,736 | 2,418,844 | R2,494,483 | 2,525,061 | 2,578,169 |
| Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle | N | N | 197,949 | 323,478 | 468,319 | 629,254 | 925,373 | 1,271,382 | 1,314,834 | 1,369,552 | R1,396,911 | 1,450,019 | 1,487,034 |
| Motorcycle | b | b | 4,828 | 9,012 | 16,415 | 14,645 | 15,450 | 15,772 | 15,933 | 16,254 | R16,576 | 17,059 | 16,898 |
| Passenger-kilometers (millions)a | |||||||||||||
| Passenger car | 1,842,699 | 2,245,035 | 2,817,961 | 3,144,658 | 3,238,000 | 3,369,966 | 3,672,523 | 3,680,570 | 3,761,037 | 3,844,723 | R3,965,424 | 4,015,313 | 4,098,999 |
| Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle | N | N | 363,712 | 584,192 | 838,468 | 1,107,229 | 1,609,344 | 2,021,336 | 2,088,929 | 2,177,442 | R2,222,504 | 2,306,190 | 2,364,126 |
| Motorcycle | b | b | 4,828 | 9,656 | 19,312 | 19,312 | 19,312 | 17,703 | 17,703 | 17,703 | 17,703 | 19,312 | 19,312 |
| Fuel consumed (million liters) | |||||||||||||
| Passenger car | 155,849 | 188,222 | 256,723 | 280,650 | 264,911 | 270,725 | 263,344 | 257,681 | 262,030 | 264,570 | R271,395 | 277,406 | 276,017 |
| Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle | N | N | 46,610 | 72,229 | 90,078 | 103,580 | 134,802 | 172,634 | 179,254 | 186,954 | R191,019 | 200,093 | 199,991 |
| Motorcycle | b | b | 227 | 428 | 772 | 689 | 723 | 742 | 750 | 765 | R780 | 801 | 795 |
| Energy intensity (kilojoule/passenger-kilometer)c | |||||||||||||
| Passenger car | 2,947 | 2,921 | 3,174 | 3,109 | 2,850 | 2,799 | 2,498 | 2,439 | 2,427 | 2,397 | R2,384 | 2,407 | 2,346 |
| Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle | N | N | 4,465 | 4,308 | 3,743 | 3,259 | 2,918 | 2,975 | 2,990 | 2,991 | R2,995 | 3,023 | 2,947 |
| Motorcycle | a | a | 1,639 | 1,543 | 1,393 | 1,243 | 1,304 | 1,460 | 1,475 | 1,505 | R1,535 | 1,446 | 1,434 |
KEY: Btu = British thermal unit; N = data do not exist; R = revised.
a Passenger-kilometers are derived by multiplying vehicle-kilometers by an average occupancy rate for that vehicle type based on data provided by the Federal Highway Administration, Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey, 1977, 1983, 1995. Average vehicle occupancy rates are as follows:
passenger car (1960-97): 1.95, 1.93, 1.91, 1.89, 1.81, 1.68, 1.62, 1.62, 1.61, 1.61, 1.60, 1.59, 1.59, 1.59;
other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle (1960-97): 1.87, 1.85, 1.83, 1.81, 1.79, 1.76, 1.74, 1.72, 1.70, 1.68, 1.66, 1.64, 1.64, 1.64;
motorcycle (1960-97): 1.1, 1.1, 1.1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.3, 1.27, 1.25, 1.23, 1.21, 1.18, 1.18, 1.18.
b Energy intensity (kilojoule/passenger-kilometer) is calculated by converting the fuel consumption in gallons to the energy equivalent kilojoule units and dividing by the passenger-kilometers. The heat equivalent factor used for kilojoule conversion is 34,839,537 joules/liter.
c Included in passenger car.
NOTES
In 1995, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration revised its vehicle type categories for 1993 and later data.
These new categories include passenger car, other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle, single-unit 2-axle 6-tire or more truck, and combination truck.
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle includes vans, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles. In previous years, some minivans and sport utility vehicles were included in the passenger car category. Single-unit 2-axle 6-tire or more trucks are on a single frame with at least 2 axles and 6 tires. Pre-1993 data have been reassigned to the closest available category.
1.609344 kilometers = 1 mile.
3.785412 liters = 1 gallon.
SOURCES
Vehicle-kilometers:
Passenger car:
1960-94: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, FHWA-PL-97-009 (Washington, DC: July 1997), table VM-201A.
1995-2000: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle:
1960-94: Ibid., Highway Statistics, Summary to 1995, FHWA-PL-97-009 (Washington, DC: July 1997), table VM-201A.
1995-2001: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.
Motorcycle:
1970-85: Ibid., Highway Statistics, Summary to 1985 (Washington, DC: 1986), table VM-201A.
For 1970-94, the unrevised motorcycle vehicle-miles are subtracted from the combined passenger car and motorcycle vehicle-miles from VM-201A. These numbers were then converted to kilometers.
1990-2001: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.
Passenger-kilometers:
1960-97: Vehicle-miles multiplied by vehicle occupancy rates.
1998-2001: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.
Fuel consumed:
1960-94: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics Summary to 1995, FHWA-PL-97-009 (Washington, DC: July 1997), table VM-201A.
For 1970-94, the unrevised motorcycle fuel consumed is subtracted from the combined passenger car and motorcycle fuel consumed from VM-201A.
1995-2001: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.