OPEC Sees Rise in Gas Guzzler Sales As Sign of Growing Demand for Gasoline

摘要

As OPEC ministers gather in Vienna, they may notice more sport utility vehicles on the streets of the Austrian capital than on previous visits. Last year, SUVs outsold any other type of passenger vehicle in Europe for the first time, according to auto industry consultants JATO Dynamics. The trend has continued in 2016, with demand for SUVs such as the Hyundai Tucson and the Renault Kadjar accounting for a quarter of sales in the biggest European countries. Europe is a mirror of what's happening across the world. From China to the U.S., drivers are buying bigger vehicles, while sales of fuel-efficient hybrids struggle. For Saudi Arabia, Iran and other members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, due to meet on June 3, the sharp increase in sales of gas guzzlers is good news: It means stronger demand for gasoline and diesel for years to come.