a Includes motorcycles through 1989. 2000 data are preliminary
Since 1979, the average fuel rate of passenger cars, vans,
pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles have had an upward
trend. In the 1990s, the fuel rates reached a more stable trend,
and are now better than a decade ago. In 2000, the fuel rate for
passenger cars reached a historical efficiency of 22 miles per
gallon. The fuel rates for trucks have not changed significantly
(The average fuel rate is calculated by dividing fuel
consumption by mileage of a motor vehicle.). |Average Motor
Vehicle Miles Per Gallon||1999||2000*| |Percent change from
previous year||-0.93||2.80| |Vans, Pickup trucks,
SUVs||17.0||17.5| |Percent change from previous
year||-1.16||2.94| |Percent change from previous
year||-1.64||-3.33| SOURCES: U.S. Department of Energy, Energy
Information Administration, Monthly Energy Review. Available at
http://www.eia.doe.gov/mer