Short-Term Energy Outlook Supplement: Motor Gasoline Consumption 2008. A Historical Perspective and Short-Term Projections

摘要

Income growth rates have less of an impact on recent trends in gasoline consumption than in the past, but short-run effects are still significant; High gasoline prices are once again motivating drivers to conserve by driving less and purchasing more fuel-efficient transportation; The increasing share of lower-Btu-content ethanol has contributed to a growing divergence between volume-based and energy-content-based measures of trends in gasoline consumption; Consumer sensitivity to gasoline price changes increases during periods when retail prices exceed $2.50 per gallon; High gasoline prices and a slowing economy, which have reduced gasoline demand in recent months, are also projected to impact demand during the 2008 summer driving season.