Canadians’ total gasoline consumption declined last year from record-setting 2010 levels.
From an all-time high of 38,810,787 m3 of gasoline sold in 2010, sales dipped 1.6 percent to 38,208,346 m3. This decline represents the most significant usage drop in our time series and comes on the heels of an above average 2009-2010 gain (+2.7%). Note that national gasoline sales figures may include fuel used for other purposes in addition to the retail motor vehicle gasoline tallies representing the bulk of this country’s fuel consumption.
Source: DAC Inc. Statistics Canada & R.L. Polk Data
Gasoline sales correlate broadly with the number of light vehicles registered for use on Canadian roads. This metric has been on a continual upwards trajectory during the past decade, with 22.5 million light vehicles registered in 2011 (+2.3%). We expect the Canadian vehicle parc to continue growing over the coming years, albeit at a slower pace.
Rising fuel efficiency in the new vehicle market – particularly in the popular C and D-size segments – will reduce gasoline usage incrementally, but new vehicles represent a small portion of the overall Canadian vehicle parc (7.2% in 2011). In the short term, we do not expect the increased fuel efficiency of new vehicles to impact gasoline usage appreciably.
Continue reading about vehicle usage trends, the effects of the macroeconomic environment on vehicle sales and many other aspects of the Canadian automotive industry in our DesRosiers Automotive Reports and AutoWatch newsletters. Contact Albena Saltcheva (albena@desrosiers.ca) or visit http://desrosiers.ca/Publication%20Subscriptions.html for pricing and subscription information.
DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc.
www.desrosiers.ca
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