Driving more, burning less

AMERICANS DRIVE MORE, USE LESS FUEL

We’re finally seeing the evidence that U.S. fuel economy regulations are working. Even though Americans are driving more, they’re using less fuel. In the first four months of 2015, a record breaking 987 billion miles were driven. That’s almost 4% more than last year, and the highest level since before the Great Recession. It’s due to a growing population, cheaper fuel and more vehicles on the road. According to Wards, there were almost 249 million vehicles on the road in 2007. By 2013 that jumped to 253 million vehicles. And yet, even though Americans are driving more vehicles and logging more miles they use eight billion gallons less of gasoline and diesel fuel— showing that the CAFE standards really are doing their job.​

Source: AD #1677 – JLR to Build in Slovakia, Cyber Concerns Not Going Away, CAFE Making Impact – Autoline Daily

Bob Wilson

 

It is the real reason gas tax revenues are off.

FYI, a comment added to the original report:

Prius owners smile when reading “AMERICANS DRIVE MORE, USE LESS FUEL.” Many of us remember the faux analysis claiming gas has to reach ‘$3/gal before it justifies the hybrid premium’ . . . 10 years ago. Yet we never saw a car ‘bling’ analysis.

Our first, daily commuter Prius has 120,000 miles and still gives 52 MPG (12,000/yr.) Our second, now 6 year old Prius, has 65,000 miles at a faster 52 MPG (10,800/yr.) Bought new, it replaced a smaller, noisier, 9 year old, 30,000 mile Echo that barely got 35 MPG (3,333/yr.)

The 2001 Echo had premium options that added as much cost as the hybrid option: automatic transmission, electric locks, remote entry, cruise control which were a weak subset of the stock Prius. Yet Echo bling never saved a penny at the pump or made it a fun car to drive.

We’re glad CAFE makes today’s cars suck less gas but they are still not in the Prius range. As for EVs like the BMW i3, they are as far ahead of the Prius today as the Prius was then.​

Bob Wilson