Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
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Table 4-22. 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
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 R1,503,000 1,546,000
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 R851,000 866,000
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
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 R2,287,000 2,337,000 R2,389,000 2,458,000
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 R1,256,000 R1,298,000 R1,353,000 1,377,000
Motorcycle b b 3,000 6,000 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000 R11,000 R11,000 R11,000 11,000
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 R69,892 72,209
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 R49,388 50,579
Motorcycle b b 60 113 204 182 191 184 191 198 205 196 198 202 205
Energy intensity (BTU/passenger-mile)                              
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 3,672
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 4,591
Motorcycle a a 2,500 2,354 2,125 1,896 1,990 1,917 1,990 2,063 2,135 2,227 2,250 2,295 2,330

a Passenger-miles are derived by multiplying vehicle-miles 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 Included in passenger car.

KEY: Btu = British thermal unit; N = data do not exist; R = revised.

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.
The heat equivalent factor used for Btu conversion is 125,000 Btus/gallon.

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.
1995-98: 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.
1995-98: 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.
1990-98 Ibid., Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1.
Passenger-miles: Passenger-miles multiplied by vehicle occupancy rates.
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.
1995-98: Ibid. Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table VM-1



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