American Fuel Consumption Lowest in a Generation

Annual household fuel consumption declined by 19% from 2004 peak usage, now at lowest level since mid-1980s.

March 27, 2015

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Data released this week by the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) found that average fuel consumption for U.S. drivers dropped in 2013 to the lowest level since the organization began measuring in 1984.

Fuel consumption is lower now than it was a generation ago and is some 14 to 19% less than peak levels in 2003-2004, whether analyzed by vehicle, driver, person or household. This finding is similar to the findings in a Fuels Institute report analyzing driver demographics over the past 100 years.

The UMTRI study indicates that in 2013, the amount of fuel consumed per person in the U.S. was about 392 gallons, while households consumed an average of 1,011 gallons — respective declines of 17% and 19% from 2004 peaks. Fuel consumption per vehicle dropped to 524 gallons in 2013 (down 14% from the peak) and per-driver fuel use declined 16% to 583 gallons.

“Despite population growth of 8%, the absolute amount of fuel consumed by light-duty vehicles decreased by 11% during the period 2004 — the year of maximum consumption — through 2013,” UMTRI researcher Michael Sivak summarized in a press release.

Similarly, the Fuels Institute report, “Driver Demographics: The American Population’s Effect on Vehicle Travel and Fuel Demand,” found that transportation demand has stabilized after a century of continuous growth, suggesting that the U.S. driving pool has reached a level of saturation. Historically, the amount of drivers grew rapidly until 1980, but has since plateaued at around two-thirds of the general population.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement