Gasoline Volume Sales, Demographics And Our Changing Culture

 | Feb 26, 2014 06:19AM ET

The Department of Energy's top 10 best-selling vehicles , energy efficiency doesn't seem to be a key factor, to judge from the percentage of pickup trucks and of SUVs.

While on the topic of fuel-efficiency on gasoline sales, I continue to recommend a reading of the Polk survey report that made the rounds in April of last year.

While the selection of hybrid models in the U.S. has more than doubled since 2007, only 35 percent of hybrid vehicle owners choose to purchase a hybrid again when returning to market in 2011, according to recent analysis by Polk (See Table A). If repurchase behavior among the high volume audience of Toyota Prius owners isn't factored in, hybrid loyalty drops to under 25 percent. [Full Report ]

Average Daily Volume Sales Per Capita

The next chart adjusts the 12-month MA of sales volume for population growth based on the monthly data for Civilian Non-Institutional Population over age 16 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via the St. Louis

  • There is growing trend toward a portable workplace and the ability to work from home (I'm a typical example).

  • Social media have provided powerful alternatives to face-to-face interaction requiring transportation (Internet apps, games, the ubiquitous cell phone for talk and texting).

  • There has been a general trend in young adults to drive less (related to points two and three above). See this PDF report for details.

  • The US is experiencing accelerating urban population growth , which reduces the per-capita dependence on gasoline.

    • As I've continued to observe, we are living in interesting times.

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    Written By: Doug Short

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