EIA Reports

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
WASHINGTON DC 20585

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 8, 1997

EIA Says Use of Alternative Fueled Vehicles, Alternative Transportation Fuels on Rise

The number of alternative fueled vehicles (AFV's) in use in the United States is expected to reach 403,000 by the end of 1998, an increase of approximately 70,000 AFV's from 1995 according to estimates recently released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA). About 70 percent of the vehicles will operate on propane, while 20 percent will use natural gas. Alcohol-fueled and electric vehicles will make up the remainder.

The EIA estimates that for 1998, California and Texas will continue to lead the nation with 66,000 and 43,000 AFV's, respectively. These are net increases of approximately 15,000 AFV's for California, and 10,000 AFV's for Texas since 1995.

Preliminary results from EIA's third survey of the AFV industry indicate that in 1997 nearly 25,000 AFV's were "made available," i.e., completed and made ready for delivery to dealers or users. Nearly one-half of the 1997 AFV's made available were natural gas vehicles, one-third operated on propane, and the rest were either alcohol-fueled or electric vehicles. The single largest category of AFV made available in 1997 consisted of compressed natural gas pickup trucks and cargo vans.

The EIA estimates for 1996 show that alternative and replacement fuels (including oxygenates added to gasoline) account for 2.5 percent of the fuel used (on a gasoline-equivalent gallon basis) in onroad vehicles, up from 1.6 percent in 1992. However, from 1996 to 1998, the percentage of alternative and replacement fuel consumption is expected to remain nearly unchanged.

Data tables with AFV "in use" and "made available" estimates, as well as alternative transportation fuel consumption, are now available through EIA's Internet Web Site. Go to: http://www.eia.doe.gov/fuelrenewable.html#trans_fuels and scroll down to "Alternatives to Traditional Transportation Fuels 1996 - Advance Information." The complete report, Alternatives to Traditional Transporation Fuels 1996, will be published in December.

The report described in this press release was prepared by the Energy Information Administration, the independent statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. The information contained in the report and the press release should be attributed to the Energy Information Administration and should not be construed as advocating or reflecting any policy position of the Department of Energy or any other organization.

EIA Program Contact: Jorge Luna-Camara, 202/426-1170

EIA Press Contact: Thomas Welch, 202/586-1178

EIA-97-28

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