Table 4-22: Energy Intensity of Passenger Cars, Other 2-Axle 4-Tire Vehicles, and Motorcycles
Table 4-22: Energy Intensity of Passenger Cars, Other 2-Axle 4-Tire Vehicles, and Motorcycles
| 1960 | 1965 | 1970 | 1975 | 1980 | 1985 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | (R) 2005 | 2006 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle-miles (millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Passenger car | 587,000 | 723,000 | 917,000 | 1,034,000 | 1,112,000 | 1,247,000 | 1,408,000 | 1,358,000 | 1,372,000 | 1,375,000 | 1,406,000 | 1,438,000 | 1,470,000 | 1,503,000 | 1,550,000 | 1,569,000 | 1,600,287 | 1,628,332 | 1,658,474 | 1,672,079 | 1,699,890 | 1,708,421 | 1,682,671 |
| Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle | N | N | 123,000 | 201,000 | 291,000 | 391,000 | 575,000 | 649,000 | 707,000 | 746,000 | 765,000 | 790,000 | 817,000 | 851,000 | 868,000 | 901,000 | 923,059 | 943,207 | 966,034 | 984,094 | 1,027,164 | 1,041,051 | 1,089,013 |
| Motorcycle | b | b | 3,000 | 5,600 | 10,200 | 9,100 | 9,600 | 9,200 | 9,600 | 9,900 | 10,200 | 9,800 | 9,900 | 10,100 | 10,300 | 10,600 | 10,469 | 9,639 | 9,552 | 9,577 | 10,122 | 10,454 | 12,401 |
| Passenger-miles (millions)a | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Passenger car | 1,145,000 | 1,395,000 | 1,751,000 | 1,954,000 | 2,012,000 | 2,094,000 | 2,282,000 | 2,200,000 | 2,208,000 | 2,213,000 | 2,250,000 | 2,287,000 | 2,337,000 | 2,389,000 | 2,464,000 | 2,495,000 | 2,544,457 | 2,556,481 | 2,620,389 | 2,641,885 | 2,685,827 | 2,699,305 | 2,658,621 |
| Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle | N | N | 226,000 | 363,000 | 521,000 | 688,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,117,000 | 1,202,000 | 1,253,000 | 1,269,000 | 1,256,000 | 1,298,000 | 1,353,000 | 1,381,000 | 1,433,000 | 1,467,664 | 1,678,853 | 1,674,792 | 1,706,103 | 1,780,771 | 1,804,848 | 1,887,997 |
| Motorcycle | b | b | 3,000 | 6,000 | 12,000 | 12,000 | 12,000 | 12,000 | 12,000 | 12,000 | 12,000 | 11,000 | 11,000 | 11,000 | 11,000 | 12,000 | 11,516 | 11,760 | 12,131 | 12,163 | 12,855 | 13,277 | 15,750 |
| Average occupancy rate | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Passenger car | 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 | 1.59 | 1.59 | 1.59 | 1.57 | 1.58 | 1.58 | 1.58 | 1.58 | 1.58 |
| Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle | N | N | 1.84 | 1.81 | 1.79 | 1.76 | 1.74 | 1.72 | 1.70 | 1.68 | 1.66 | 1.59 | 1.59 | 1.59 | 1.59 | 1.59 | 1.59 | 1.78 | 1.73 | 1.73 | 1.73 | 1.73 | 1.73 |
| Motorcycle | b | b | 1.00 | 1.07 | 1.18 | 1.32 | 1.25 | 1.30 | 1.25 | 1.21 | 1.18 | 1.12 | 1.11 | 1.09 | 1.07 | 1.13 | 1.10 | 1.22 | 1.27 | 1.27 | 1.27 | 1.27 | 1.27 |
| Fuel consumed (million gallons) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Passenger car | 41,171 | 49,723 | 67,819 | 74,140 | 69,982 | 71,518 | 69,568 | 64,317 | 65,436 | 67,048 | 67,874 | 68,072 | 69,221 | 69,892 | 71,695 | 73,283 | 73,065 | 73,559 | 75,471 | 75,455 | 75,402 | 77,419 | 74,983 |
| Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle | N | N | 12,313 | 19,081 | 23,796 | 27,363 | 35,611 | 38,217 | 40,929 | 42,851 | 44,112 | 45,605 | 47,354 | 49,388 | 50,462 | 52,859 | 52,939 | 53,522 | 55,220 | 60,758 | 63,417 | 58,869 | 60,662 |
| Motorcycle | b | b | 60 | 113 | 204 | 182 | 191 | 184 | 191 | 198 | 205 | 196 | 198 | 202 | 206 | 212 | 209 | 193 | 191 | 192 | 202 | 189 | 220 |
| Energy intensity (Btu/passenger-mile)c | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Passenger car | 4,495 | 4,455 | 4,841 | 4,743 | 4,348 | 4,269 | 3,811 | 3,654 | 3,704 | 3,787 | 3,771 | 3,721 | 3,702 | 3,657 | 3,637 | 3,671 | 3,589 | 3,597 | 3,600 | 3,570 | 3,509 | 3,585 | 3,525 |
| Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle | N | N | 6,810 | 6,571 | 5,709 | 4,971 | 4,451 | 4,277 | 4,256 | 4,275 | 4,345 | 4,539 | 4,560 | 4,563 | 4,568 | 4,611 | 4,509 | 3,985 | 4,121 | 4,452 | 4,452 | 4,077 | 4,016 |
| Motorcycle | b | b | 2,500 | 2,354 | 2,125 | 1,896 | 1,990 | 1,917 | 1,990 | 2,063 | 2,135 | 2,227 | 2,250 | 2,295 | 2,341 | 2,205 | 2,273 | 2,049 | 1,969 | 1,969 | 1,969 | 1,779 | 1,746 |
KEY: Btu = British thermal unit; N = data do not exist; R = revised.
b Included in passenger car.
c Energy Intensity (Btu/passenger-mile) is calculated by converting the fuel consumption in gallons to the energy equivalent Btu units and dividing by the passenger-miles. The heat equivalent factor used for Btu conversion is 125,000 Btus/gallon.
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.
Vehicle-miles and passenger-miles data for 1960 through 1999 have been rounded to the nearest billion miles.
SOURCES:
Vehicle-miles:
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.
1995-2005: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle:
1970-94: Ibid., Highway Statistics, Summary to 1985 (Washington, DC: 1986), table VM-201A.
Motorcycle:
1970-94: 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.
1995-2006: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.
Passenger-miles:
1960-97: Vehicle-miles multiplied by vehicle occupancy rates.
1998-2006: 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.
1995-2006: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.