Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
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Table 4-22M: Energy Intensity of Passenger Cars, Other 2-Axle 4-Tire Vehicles, and Motorcycles

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  1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
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 2,185,489 2,208,020 2,212,848 2,262,738 2,314,237 2,365,736 2,418,844 2,494,483 2,525,061 2,575,412 (R) 2,620,546 2,669,322
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle N N 197,949 323,478 468,319 629,254 925,373 1,044,464 1,137,806 1,200,571 1,231,148 1,271,382 1,314,834 1,369,552 1,396,911 1,450,019 1,485,519 (R) 1,517,945 1,554,922
Motorcycle b b 4,828 9,012 16,415 14,645 15,450 14,806 15,450 15,933 16,415 15,772 15,933 16,254 16,576 17,059 16,848 (R) 15,512 15,374
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 3,540,557 3,553,432 3,561,478 3,621,024 3,680,570 3,761,037 3,844,723 3,965,424 4,015,313 4,094,907 (R) 4,114,257 4,190,836
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle N N 363,712 584,192 838,468 1,107,229 1,609,344 1,797,637 1,934,431 2,016,508 2,042,258 2,021,336 2,088,929 2,177,442 2,222,504 2,306,190 2,361,976 (R) 2,701,852 2,767,669
Motorcycle b b 4,828 9,656 19,312 19,312 19,312 19,312 19,312 19,312 19,312 17,703 17,703 17,703 17,703 19,312 18,533 (R) 18,926 18,757
Fuel consumed (million liters)                                      
Passenger car 155,849 188,222 256,723 280,650 264,911 270,725 263,344 243,466 247,702 253,804 256,931 257,681 262,030 264,570 271,395 277,406 276,582 (R) 278,450 283,712
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle N N 46,610 72,229 90,078 103,580 134,802 144,667 154,933 162,209 166,982 172,634 179,254 186,954 191,019 200,093 200,395 (R) 202,602 207,595
Motorcycle b b 227 428 772 689 723 697 723 750 776 742 750 765 780 801 793 (R) 730 723
Energy intensity (kilojoule / passenger-kilometer)c                                      
Passenger car 2,947 2,921 3,174 3,109 2,850 2,799 2,498 2,396 2,429 2,483 2,472 2,439 2,427 2,397 2,384 2,407 2,353 (R) 2,358 2,359
Other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle N N 4,465 4,308 3,743 3,259 2,918 2,804 2,790 2,803 2,849 2,975 2,990 2,991 2,994 3,023 2,956 (R) 2,612 2,613
Motorcycle a a 1,639 1,543 1,393 1,243 1,304 1,257 1,304 1,352 1,400 1,460 1,475 1,505 1,535 1,446 1,490 (R) 1,343 1,343

KEY: 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) and Federal Highway Administration and Bureau of Transportation Statistics, National Household Travel Survey (2001). Average vehicle occupancy rates are as follows:

passenger car (1960-2002): 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, 1.57;

other 2-axle 4-tire vehicle (1970-2002): 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, 1.78;

motorcycle (1970-2002): 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, 1.22.

b Included in passenger car.

c Energy Intensity (kilojoule/passenger-kilometer) is calculated by converting the fuel consumption in liters 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.

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.

1995-2002: 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.

1995-2002: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.

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. These numbers were then converted to kilometers.

1995-2002: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.

Passenger-kilometers:

1960-97: Vehicle-miles multiplied by vehicle occupancy rates. These numbers were then converted to kilometers.

1998-2002: 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.

1995-2002: Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.



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