Technical Report

NREL/TP-540-42681

March 2009

Fuel Savings from Hybrid 

Electric Vehicles 

K. Bennion and M. Thornton
National Renewable Energy Laboratory

1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado 80401-3393

303-275-3000 • www.nrel.gov

NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

Contract No. DE-AC36-08-GO28308

Technical Report

NREL/TP-540-42681

March 2009

Fuel Savings from Hybrid 

Electric Vehicles 

K. Bennion and M. Thornton

Prepared under Task No. FC08.2000
NOTICE

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iii

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the programmatic support of the Vehicle 

Technologies Program in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy.
iv

Executive Summary

Along with the rapid rise of gasoline prices since 2002 has come a renewed interest in energy 

costs and energy security. Of particular concern is the impact on the transportation sector and 

light-duty vehicles (LDVs). The dependence of LDVs on petroleum contributes to personal 

and national economic concerns, and the nation’s dependence on oil imports impacts our 

trade imbalance and energy security. For these reasons, it is essential to reduce petroleum use 

in LDVs.

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) have the potential to reduce both petroleum usage and 

greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. For this reason, many individuals, 

corporations, and government groups have shown considerable interest in these vehicles 

since they were first introduced into the U.S. market in 1999. Quantifying their fuel-savings 

benefit places the impacts of HEVs in a context that allows them to be compared with other

technologies proposed for reducing our reliance on oil imports in the transportation sector. 

This type of analysis also provides a framework for comparing the benefits of alternative 

technologies in terms of incentives. Although a few earlier studies have included an 

evaluation of fuel savings from HEVs, the analysis described in this report provides the 

cumulative historical benefit of these vehicles in terms of their fuel savings.

The analysis described here is based on estimated fuel savings from new HEV sales, annual 

vehicle stocks or fleets, and cumulative totals. The results show that, since they first entered 

the U.S. market, HEVs have saved nearly 385 million gallons, or over 9 million barrels, of 

fuel. Although these fuel savings are small in comparison to the total amount of fuel

consumed in the United States by light-duty vehicles (8.86 million barrels per day), the 

savings will increase as additional HEVs penetrate the market, adding annually to the 

baseline of fuel savings from existing HEVs.

The results of this analysis indicate that, although HEVs are relatively new to the U.S. 

market, they could significantly reduce the amount of oil imported for use in light-duty 

vehicles. However, to increase the fuel reduction impact of LDVs, individuals must reverse 

past trends and switch from larger vehicles to smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles, including

HEVs. For individuals who require the functionality of large cars, minivans, sport utility 

vehicles, and light-duty trucks, the availability of HEV models could provide significant fuel 

use reductions. 

While interest in HEVs is growing, work on the next technology breakthrough is needed not 

only to improve vehicle efficiency but also to enable energy diversification for vehicle 

transportation. By improving vehicle efficiency and enabling energy diversification, the 

nation could achieve significant reductions in fuel use for transportation. However, 

achieving this goal will require immediate action. 
v

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction...........................................................................................................................1

1.1 Background.......................................................................................................................1

1.2 Objective...........................................................................................................................4

1.3 Approach...........................................................................................................................4

2.0 Technical Discussion ............................................................................................................5

2.1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle Fuel Savings ..............................................................................5

2.2 Fuel Reduction Impact......................................................................................................7

3.0 Conclusions.........................................................................................................................11

References.................................................................................................................................12

Appendix A. Annual HEV Sales Data......................................................................................16

Appendix B. Comparison Vehicles and Fuel Economy ...........................................................18

Appendix C. Vehicle Fleet Calculation ....................................................................................20

Appendix D. Annual Fuel Savings from New Sales.................................................................21

Appendix E. Annual Fuel Savings from Vehicle Fleet ............................................................22

Appendix F. Cumulative Fuel Savings by Year .......................................................................23
vi

List of Figures

Figure 1. Regular unleaded gasoline average retail price, 1976-8/2008 ....................................1

Figure 2. U.S. petroleum overview, 1949-2007 .........................................................................2

Figure 3. Value of crude oil imports, 1973-2007 .......................................................................2

Figure 4. 2007 petroleum consumption by sector.......................................................................3

Figure 5. 2006 transportation petroleum use by type .................................................................3

Figure 6. Sales-weighted fuel savings – new HEV sales............................................................6

Figure 7. Fleet-weighted fuel savings – annual HEV fleet.........................................................6

Figure 8. Fleet-weighted cumulative fuel savings......................................................................7

Figure 9. Average annual fuel savings per vehicle.....................................................................8

Figure 10. Future HEV sales trends............................................................................................8

Figure 11. Future HEV fleet estimate.........................................................................................9

Figure 12. Fleet annual fuel savings as percentage of U.S. LDV fleet.....................................10

Figure 13. Fuel consumption vs. fuel economy........................................................................11

Figure 14. Transportation petroleum use trends.......................................................................11

Figure A-1. HEV sales and annual percent increase [Source: Table A-1] ...............................16

List of Tables

Table 1. Example of Fuel Consumption vs. Fuel Economy Improvements.............................11

Table A-1. HEV Sales, 1999–2007...........................................................................................17

Table B-1. Comparison Vehicles and Fuel Economy Estimates..............................................18

Table B-2. Fuel Economy or Fuel Consumption Benefit .........................................................19

Table C-1. HEV Vehicle Stock.................................................................................................20

Table D-1. Fuel Savings from New HEV Sales (thousands of gallons)...................................21

Table E-1. Annual HEV Vehicle Stock Fuel Savings (thousands of gallons)..........................22

Table F-1. Cumulative HEV Fuel Savings (thousands of gallons)...........................................23
1

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background

Along with the rapid rise of gasoline prices since 2002 has come a renewed interest in energy 

costs and energy security. This concern was highlighted in President George W. Bush’s 2006

State of the Union address [1] in which he said, “Keeping America competitive requires 

affordable energy. And here we have a serious problem: America is addicted to oil, which is 

often imported from unstable parts of the world.” However, this concern related to energy is 

not new. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter said, “This intolerable dependence on foreign oil 

threatens our economic independence and the very security of our nation. The energy crisis is 

real. It is worldwide. It is a clear and present danger to our nation. These are facts and we 

simply must face them” [2]. Each of these comments occurred during times of high gasoline 

prices. Figure 1 compares the average annual nominal price and the inflation-adjusted (real) 

price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline since 1976. In 2007, the average real price 

approached values not seen since the late 1970s and early 1980s. The average monthly fuel 

prices in 2008 show an even steeper rate of increase. This rise in the cost of gasoline impacts 

both the individual and national economy. 

2007: $2.34

2007: $2.80

$0.00

$0.50

$1.00

$1.50

$2.00

$2.50

$3.00

$3.50

$4.00

$4.50

76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10

Year

Dollers per Gallon

 

 

Nominal

Real (2000 Dollars)

2008 Monthly Data: 1/08-8/08

Source: Energy Information Administration [3].

Figure 1. Regular unleaded gasoline average retail price, 1976–August 2008

Concerns related to petroleum use extend beyond the cost of a gallon of gasoline and 

personal finances, however. Along with the overall upward trend in petroleum consumption

has come a similar upward trend in petroleum imports, as shown in Figure 2. In 2007, net 

imports amounted to 12 million barrels per day, according to the Energy Information 

Administration [3]. This is roughly equivalent to 10 Exxon Valdez oil tankers per day1

1 The Exxon Valdez was carrying more than 1.2 million barrels of oil at the time of the oil spill in Alaska in 

1989 [4, 5].

[4, 5]. 

In 2007, imported oil amounted to 58% of petroleum consumption. By comparison, in 1979,

at the time of President Carter’s Crisis of Confidence speech, imports accounted for 43% of 

total consumption [2, 3]. This increasing reliance on oil imports affects the energy security of 

the United States, as noted by Presidents Carter and Bush.
2

 

20.7

6.9

12.0

0

5

10

15

20

25

1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Year

U.S. Petroleum Overview 

(Million Barrels per Day)

Consumption Production Net Imports

Source: Energy Information Administration [3 ].

Figure 2. U.S. petroleum overview, 1949-2007

Our increasing reliance on imported petroleum not only affects energy security, it also 

impacts our economy and trade imbalance. According to the Energy Information 

Administration, the cost of oil imports in 2007 approached $246 billion (nominal dollars) [3]. 

This is equivalent to about $674 million per day, or $468,000 per minute throughout 2007. 

The rapid rise in this cost over time is highlighted in Figure 3. 

2007, $246

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Year

Billion Nominal Dollars

Source: Energy Information Administration [3].

Figure 3. Value of crude oil imports, 1973-2007

Concerns related to personal finances, national security, and the overall economy are 

particularly important in relation to transportation. The transportation sector is dependent on 

petroleum. In 2007, 14.26 million barrels per day, or 69% of total petroleum consumption,

went to the transportation sector [3]. Comparisons to other sectors of petroleum use are 

shown in Figure 4.
3

Million Barrels per Day, 2007 

0.76

0.29

14.26

5.06

0.32

Transportation

Industrial

Residential

Commercial

Electric Power

 

Source: Energy Information Administration [3].

Figure 4. 2007 petroleum consumption by sector

Looking at where the petroleum goes in the transportation sector indicates the impact of 

light-duty vehicles (LDVs). These include cars, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), and light 

trucks. In 2006, 8.86 million barrels per day were used for light-duty vehicles [6]. Fuel use 

by light-duty vehicles was significantly higher than that of any other segment, as illustrated 

in Figure 5. Developing a long-term solution to our energy needs requires reducing the 

petroleum consumption of LDVs in the United States. Reductions in petroleum use could 

possibly come from changes in consumer behavior, increases in energy efficiency, or greater 

diversification of energy sources. 

Million Barrels per Day, 2006

 

 

0.09

2.47

1.21

0.95

8.86

Light Duty Vehicle

Buses

Medium/Heavy Vehicle

Air

Other Nonhighway

 

Source: Transportation Energy Data Book, Edition 27 [6].

Figure 5. 2006 transportation petroleum use by type

A relatively recent development for reducing fuel use in vehicles or improving their overall 

operating efficiency is the introduction of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) into the 

marketplace. Since HEVs were first introduced in the United States in 1999, interest in them 

has grown, and so has their acceptance as a viable means of reducing fuel use in the U.S. 

transportation sector. The number of models available has increased significantly since 1999, 

and according to recent announcements by vehicle manufacturers, the choices are likely to 

grow. Renewed public interest in rising fuel prices and the environment—e.g., global 

warming issues—has also helped to promote hybrids as manufacturers and government 

groups alike take on a “greener” image. Many municipalities, state governments, and federal 
4

agencies have adopted tax incentives or other benefits, such as access to commuter lanes, to 

promote the use of HEVs.

Much of the public’s interest in HEVs springs from these vehicles’ potential to reduce

overall vehicle fuel use. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a 

vehicle uses only a small fraction of the energy available in gasoline to operate. The 

remaining energy is lost through inefficiency or losses within the system [7]. Although HEVs 

could decrease the nation’s overall vehicle fuel use, some manufacturers have used HEV 

technology to boost vehicle performance instead of fuel economy in some of their models.

Hybrid electric vehicles reduce fuel use by focusing on three areas. First, they allow the use 

of a smaller engine that can run in the most efficient part of its operating range. This is 

enabled through the electric drive system as it adjusts the required load on the engine. Also, 

some HEV models can be driven in all-electric mode when the power required to drive the 

vehicle is low, thus preventing the engine from having to run inefficiently at low loads. 

Second, HEVs prevent the engine from operating when it is unnecessary, such as when idling

or when the vehicle is stopped. Finally, hybrids can store some of the kinetic energy 

normally lost while braking. In HEVs, batteries store some of this kinetic energy and then 

release it to assist the gasoline engine, as needed. 

1.2 Objective

Because many individuals, corporations, and government groups have shown considerable 

interest in hybrid electric vehicles, it is important to quantify the fuel-savings benefit of 

HEVs since they were first introduced into U.S. markets. Quantifying that benefit places the 

impacts of HEVs in a context that allows them to be compared with other technologies 

proposed to decrease our reliance on oil imports for transportation. In addition, this type of

analysis provides a framework for comparing the benefits of alternative technologies 

according to incentives for promoting them. Although a few previous studies have

considered fuel savings from HEVs [8, 9], this analysis provides the cumulative historical 

benefit of HEVs in terms of their fuel savings.

1.3 Approach

The first step in the analysis involved collecting and verifying HEV sales data since the 

vehicles first entered the U.S. market. No one source was found that contains a complete list 

of annual sales by year for each type of HEV available at the time of this analysis, so we 

used multiple data sources to collect the required information [10-18]. Multiple sources were 

also used to verify the accuracy of the sales data [19-45]. The collected sales data are listed in 

Table A-1 of Appendix A.

After we compiled a list of HEVs available in the marketplace, our next task involved 

identifying conventional vehicles for comparison. The method used in this analysis assumed

that an HEV replaced a similar type of conventional vehicle made by the same manufacturer. 

It did not look at the benefits that can be gained when consumers change to a different class 

of vehicle altogether, such as from an SUV to a car. Because the intent of the analysis was to 

determine the potential benefits of hybridization, hybrids were compared only with 

nonhybrids of the same or similar models. Table B-1 in Appendix B lists the conventional 

vehicles used in the analysis with the respective HEVs.
5

A vehicle’s fuel economy depends on its type and the operator’s driving style, so it is 

difficult to create a general fuel economy value for a given vehicle. To judge both HEVs and 

conventional vehicles consistently, we used both new and old EPA label estimates for this 

analysis. The old EPA limits were based on EPA tests for 2007 and earlier model-year 

vehicles. They were limited to two test cycles for city and highway driving. The new EPA 

tests began with 2008 model-year vehicles, and they include additional tests to reflect higher 

speeds, colder temperatures, and air-conditioning use [46]. For comparison, fuel economy 

values reported by users were also considered in the analysis. Table B-1 lists the fuel 

economy estimates used for the analysis, while Table B-2 lists the percent improvement in 

fuel economy.

To calculate the cumulative benefits of hybrids, it was necessary to focus on the total number 

of HEVs in use each year (i.e., the annual HEV vehicle stock) rather than on only new HEV

sales. Total HEV sales would have provided an approximate number for the total stock, but 

the actual vehicle stock would be expected to be smaller because vehicles periodically go out 

of service. For this reason, a vehicle stock model was used to account for the reduction in the 

vehicle stock over time as a result of accidents or other factors. Total vehicle stock estimates 

thus relied on Argonne National Laboratory’s VISION model to account for vehicles that go 

out of service over time [47]. The VISION model is an Excel-based tool that contains a 

vehicle stock calculation for predicting future vehicle trends (see Appendix C, Equation C1).

Applying Equation C-1 to the HEV sales data collected resulted in the vehicle stock 

estimates shown in Table C-1. The results are grouped by brand for comparison. Based on 

these estimates, there were more than 1 million HEVs on the road or in use at the end of

2007. This is slightly fewer than the total number of vehicle sales to take into account 

vehicles that were no longer in service because of accidents or for other reasons. All three 

fuel economy estimates were fed into the fuel savings calculations. The calculations included 

fuel savings from new vehicle sales, annual vehicle stock, and cumulative totals. The results 

assumed that all vehicles in a given year were sold at the beginning of the year, since annual 

sales data were used. In addition to fuel savings totals, efforts were made to highlight 

potential fuel savings from today’s current HEV mix.

2.0 Technical Discussion

2.1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle Fuel Savings

The HEV fuel savings data included estimates for three different fuel-displacement metrics. 

The first involved the fuel savings from new HEV sales in a given year. This estimate relied

on the HEV sales data that were collected. Total fuel savings from new vehicle sales would 

have provided an approximation for the total annual fleet or vehicle stock fuel savings. 

However, this would have overestimated fuel savings, since some vehicles went out of 

service. For this reason, the vehicle stock estimates (Appendix C) were used to determine 

total fleet fuel savings in a given year. Cumulative fleet fuel savings by year were also 

calculated to determine cumulative fuel savings from HEVs. Fuel savings depend on the 

assumed vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in one year. This analysis used a fixed VMT of 
6 

12,240 miles for each metric. This was based on data from the Transportation Energy Data 

Book, which lists total vehicle registrations and total vehicle miles traveled up to 2006 [6].

Fuel savings from new HEV sales through 2007 are shown in Figure 6. One can see that in 

2007, new HEV sales contributed to fuel savings of about 56 million gallons of gasoline, or 

1.3 million barrels of oil, based on the new EPA fuel economy measures. The results in 

Figure 6 show that the results obtained using the different fuel economy estimates are 

comparable with the new EPA label showing the largest benefit. Appendix D lists the 

equation used for the analysis and tabulated results based on the new EPA fuel economy 

estimates. The fuel savings of 1.3 million barrels over all of 2007 represent 15% of the 

petroleum consumed by LDVs in a single day. 

Figure 6. Sales-weighted fuel savings – new HEV sales

Annual vehicle stock or fleet fuel savings included fuel savings from all HEVs in use for a 

given year. Equation E-1 in Appendix E shows the method used to determine fuel savings for 

HEVs on the road, and results are provided in Table E-1 for new EPA estimates. According 

to Table E-1, the total HEV vehicle fleet in 2007 saved more than 158 million gallons of fuel. 

Figure 7 shows that the results are comparable across all of the vehicle fuel economy 

estimates. As with the analysis based on new sales, the new EPA results are higher. The fuel 

savings of 158 million gallons, or 3.8 million barrels, represent 44% of the petroleum 

consumed by LDVs in a single day. 

Figure 7. Fleet-weighted fuel savings – annual HEV fleet

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Year

Fuel Savings

(Millions of Gallons)

New EPA

Old EPA

User

Note: VMT=12,240 miles annually. 

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Year

Fuel Savings

(Millions of Gallons)

New EPA

Old EPA

User

Note: VMT=12,240 miles annually. 
7 

Cumulative fuel savings up to a given year included the cumulative sum of each year’s fleet 

or vehicle stock fuel savings, as highlighted in Equation F-1. Table F-1 lists cumulative fuel 

savings based on the new EPA fuel economy estimates. Through 2007, HEVs have saved 

over 385 million gallons of fuel. Figure 8 compares the fuel savings from all the fuel 

economy estimates. The fuel savings of 385 million gallons, or 9.2 million barrels, are about 

equal to the amount of petroleum consumed by LDVs in a single day. 

Figure 8. Fleet-weighted cumulative fuel savings

2.2 Fuel Reduction Impact

Although fuel savings from HEVs are small in relation to the national statistics for fuel 

consumption mentioned earlier, that is a result of the small number of HEVs currently in use 

in the United States. Assuming that approximately 235 million cars and trucks are in use in 

the United States [6], the 1 million HEVs in use represent only about 0.4% of all U.S. lightduty vehicles. This leads to the following question: What would be the impact of increasing 

the penetration of HEVs in the marketplace? 

To answer the question, we first assumed that the HEV offerings remained similar to those 

that were sold in 2007. Next, we calculated the average sales-weighted fuel savings per HEV 

per year, as shown in Equation 1. 













































−

















=

∑

∑

∑

∑

=

=

=

=

n

j

j

n

j

HEV

j

j

n

j

j

n

j

CV

j

j

S

MPG

S

S

MPG

S

MF

1

1

1

1

, (1) 

where 

j = index to unique HEV (e.g., an Insight or Prius)

n = number of unique HEVs

S = vehicles sold of type j in desired year

M = annual vehicle miles traveled in year

MPGCV = conventional vehicle fuel economy

MPGHEV = HEV fuel economy.

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Year

Fuel Savings

(Millions of Gallons)

New EPA

Old EPA

User

Note: VMT=12,240 miles annually. 
8

The results from Equation 1 are shown in Figure 9, and they are based on past sales. As seen 

in Figure 9, the sales-weighted average fuel savings per vehicle were almost 160 gallons per 

year in 2007. This value was used as an estimate for projected future vehicle fuel savings. It 

assumes the future HEV fleet is comparable to the vehicles sold in 2007.

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

140

145

150

155

160

165

Year

Annual Fuel Savings per Vehicle (gallons)

 

Note: VMT=12,240 miles annually, and average fuel savings were calculated from new HEV sales-weighted fuel 

consumption.

Figure 9. Average annual fuel savings per vehicle 

The next step required an estimate of future sales of HEVs per year. HybridCARS published 

a report [48] that compared multiple HEV sales forecasts from various sources and noted the 

variability of the estimates. It also compared the forecasts to a trend line based on HEV sales 

from 2000 through 2005. This trend is shown in Figure 10 by the green dashed line. This 

trend was used by researchers at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) in their 

estimates of potential HEV fuel savings [8]. Figure 10 also shows the sales trend, including 

sales data from 2006 and 2007, which is indicated by the solid red line. We used this updated 

sales trend line for future HEV sales projections.

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020

Year

New HEV Sales per Year (1000's)

Past Sales Trend (2000-2005) Trend (2000-2007)

Figure 10. Future HEV sales trends
9

The next step required estimating the projected size of the HEV vehicle fleet. As in the 

previous analysis, we could have used the cumulative sales totals; instead, we used the 

vehicle stock calculations listed in Appendix C. The vehicle stock equations were applied to 

the projected future vehicles sales based on sales from 2000 through 2007. The results are 

shown in Figure 11. The left vertical axis shows the projected HEV fleet size, in millions of 

vehicles; the right vertical axis shows the fleet size as a percentage of the total LDV fleet,

which was fixed at 235 million light-duty vehicles.

0

5

10

15

20

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020

Year

HEV Annual Fleet Size (millions)

0.0%

1.0%

2.0%

3.0%

4.0%

5.0%

6.0%

7.0%

8.0%

9.0%

10.0%

Percent of Total LDV Fleet

Assumptions: 235 million LDVs [6]; 2000-2007 HEV sales trend.

Figure 11. Future HEV fleet estimate

The projected future HEV fleet fuel savings were calculated by using the HEV vehicle stock 

estimates above and the average 160 gallons saved per year per vehicle from Figure 9. The 

results are shown in Figure 12. The annual fuel savings are shown against the percentage of 

HEVs in the LDV fleet. The right vertical axis also shows the fuel savings as a percentage of 

total LDV fuel consumption. The figure highlights the effect of the current HEV fleet, along 

with projections to 2010, 2015, and 2020. 

The analysis done by UC Davis also estimated potential fuel savings from HEVs, and the 

results of their analysis are shown for comparison [8]. They estimated that in 2010 HEVs

will replace 1.2% of conventional LDVs, resulting in a fuel savings of 0.4%. They also 

estimated the fuel savings if HEVs reach 10% of the LDV fleet, which is shown on the graph 

for comparison. The results are similar, given the different methodologies. The primary 

intent of this analysis is not to predict the future, but to highlight the challenges related to 

reducing LDV fuel use.
10

UC, Davis

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1.0

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

HEV Fleet as Percent of LDVs in Use

Annual Fuel Savings 

[Million Barrels per Day]

0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

9%

10%

11%

Percent Current LDV Consumption

Annual Fuel Savings 2007 2010 2015 2020 UC, Davis

Assumptions: 235 million LDVs [6]; LDV fuel use of 8.86 million barrels per day [6]; fuel saving of 160 gallons per 

year per vehicle.

Figure 12. Fleet annual fuel savings as percentage of U.S. LDV fleet

Figures 11 and 12 show that HEVs can save a large amount of fuel as they penetrate more of 

the market. However, their overall impact in comparison to the total amount of fuel used by 

LDVs is limited if they are used only to replace comparable compact or midsize conventional 

vehicles that may already have relatively high fuel economy. Extending HEVs further into 

other vehicle segments would increase the slope of the line in Figure 12, and lead not only to 

increased fuel savings per vehicle but also to increased market penetration. This can be done 

if people switch from SUVs and light trucks to smaller cars, which could have HEV 

powertrains. Fuel savings would increase if HEV technology were applied to larger vehicles 

for consumers who require the functionality of a larger vehicle.

The relative benefit of switching to a different vehicle segment type or to hybridizing SUVs 

or light trucks is highlighted in Figure 13. The figure shows the nonlinear relationship 

between fuel economy and fuel consumption for two example vehicles. Table 1 highlights 

two vehicle options that assume the same hybridization fuel economy benefit of 40% with an 

annual VMT of 12,240 miles. The base fuel economy is considered to be that of a 

conventional vehicle, while the new fuel economy could be the result of hybridization.

The fuel savings are the total annual gallons of fuel saved annually by switching to the same 

type of vehicle but with improved fuel economy. As shown in Figure 13 and Table 1, vehicle 

A has a lower base fuel economy but shows a significantly higher fuel savings benefit for the 

same percentage increase in fuel economy. 

To significantly reduce fuel use, then, any or all of the following alternatives are needed. The 

first involves switching from larger vehicles to smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles that 

could also include those that use HEV powertrains. Second, for those who need the 

functionality of larger vehicles, the use of HEV powertrains could provide significant fuel 

savings per vehicle because of the higher overall fuel consumption of the larger vehicles. The 

final option is to continue switching smaller vehicles to HEVs. This change would reduce the 

large increase in petroleum use by larger vehicles that has been occurring over the last few 

decades, as illustrated in Figure 14.
11

 

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

1970197219741976197819801982198419861988199019921994199619982000200220042006

Year

Million Barrels per Day

Car Light Truck/SUV Medium/Heavy Vehicle

 

1

Consumption vs. MPG

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110

Fuel Economy (miles/gallon)

Annual Fuel Consumption 

(gallons/year)

A

B

Figure 13. Fuel consumption vs. fuel economy

Table 1. Example of Fuel Consumption vs. Fuel Economy Improvements 

Vehicle

Base Fuel 

Economy

[mpg]

New Fuel Economy

[mpg]

Fuel 

Economy 

Improvement

Annual Fuel 

Savings

[gallons]

A 15 21 40% 233

B 35 49 40% 100

Sources: Transportation Energy Data Book 26, Tables A.1, A.5, and A.6. [49]; DOT FHWAY Highway Statistics 

2006, Table vm-1 [50].

Figure 14. Transportation petroleum use trends

3.0 Conclusions

Although HEVs are relatively new to the U.S. market, they have the potential to significantly 

reduce the amount of oil we import for use in light-duty vehicles. Since they were introduced

into U.S. markets, HEVs have saved nearly 385 million gallons, or 9.2 million barrels, of 
12

fuel. Although these savings are small in comparison to the total amount of oil consumed by

light-duty vehicles in the United States, fuel savings will increase as HEVs penetrate more 

areas of the market.

To increase the impact in fuel reduction for LDVs, consumers must reverse past trends and 

switch from larger vehicles to smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, which could include 

HEVs. For consumers who require the functionality of large cars, minivans, SUVs, and lightduty trucks, the availability of HEV models could provide significant reductions in fuel use. 

While interest in HEVs is growing, work on the next technology breakthrough is needed to 

not only improve vehicle efficiency but also to enable energy diversification for vehicular

transportation. Through improvements in vehicle efficiency and energy diversification,

significant reductions in fuel use for transportation are possible, but this will require 

immediate action. This change in vehicle fuel economy will take time. The question is, will 

this change take place before the next energy crisis?

References

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Congress on the State of the Union.” January 31, 2006. Available at 

www.cspan.org/executive/transcript.asp?cat=current_event&code=bush_admin&year

=2006.

2. Carter, J. “Crisis of Confidence.” July 15, 1979. Available at 

www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carter/filmmore/ps_crisis.html.

3. Energy Information Administration. “Annual Energy Review 2007.” Available at 

www.eia.doe.gov/aer/contents.html.

4. Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council. Available at 

www.evostc.state.ak.us/facts/index.cfm.

5. Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council. “Frequently Asked Questions About the 

Spill.” Available at www.evostc.state.ak.us/History/FAQ.cfm.

6. Davis, S.; Diegel, S. Transportation Energy Data Book, Edition 27. Oak Ridge, TN: 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 2008.

7. U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Advanced 

Technologies & Energy Efficiency.” Available at 

www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/atv.shtml.

8. Turrentine, T.; Delucchi, M.; Heffner, R.; Kurani, K.; Sun, Y. “Quantifying the 

Benefits of Hybrid Vehicles.” UCD-ITS-RR-06-17. Davis, CA: Institute of 

Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis, Nov. 15, 2006.
13

9. Johnson, C.; Bergeron, P. Fuel Use Metrics. Golden, CO: National Renewable 

Energy Laboratory, Sept. 2006.

10. InsightCentral.net. “Sales Statistics.” Available at

www.insightcentral.net/KB/sales.html.

11. ToyoLand. “Toyota Prius Chronological History.” Available at

www.toyoland.com/prius/chronology.html.

12. U.S. Department of Energy. “Historical U.S. Hybrid Sales.” Available at

www.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/facts/2007_fcvt_fotw462.html.

13. Energy Futures, Inc. Hybrid Vehicles, Vol. 7, No. 6; Dec. 2005.

14. Green Car Congress. “U.S. Hybrid Sales Crest 10,000 in December.” Available at

www.greencarcongress.com/2005/01/us_hybrid_sales.html.

15. Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA). “Hybrid Vehicle Sales 

Information and Tax Credits.” Available at

www.electricdrive.org/index.php?tg=articles&idx=Print&topics=7&article=692. 

16. Energy Futures, Inc. Hybrid Vehicles, Vol. 9, No. 1; Feb. 2007.

17. HybridCARS. Available at www.hybridcars.com/market-dashboard/dec06-ussales.html. 

18. U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels & Advanced Vehicles Data Center. 

“HEV Sales by Model.” May 28, 2008. Available at 

http://afdc.energy.gov/afdc/data/vehicles.html.

19. Green Car Congress. “Hybrid Sales 1H04: Some Surprises.” July 1, 2004. Available

at www.greencarcongress.com/2004/07/hybrid_sales_1h.html.

20. Green Car Congress. “August Hybrid Sales: Some Decline.” Sept. 3, 2004. Available

at www.greencarcongress.com/2004/09/august_hybrid_s.html.

21. Green Car Congress. “October 04 U.S. Hybrid Sales.” Nov. 3, 2004. Available at

www.greencarcongress.com/2004/11/october_04_us_h.html.

22. Green Car Congress. “Toyota’s Hybrid Sales Total 280,000+.” Nov. 1, 2004. 

Available at www.greencarcongress.com/2004/11/toyotarsquos_hy.html.

23. Green Car Congress. “US Hybrid Sales Crest 10,000 in December.” Jan. 4, 2005. 

Available at www.greencarcongress.com/2005/01/us_hybrid_sales.html.

24. Green Car Congress. “Hybrids Up 81% in 2004; California Leads Nation with 30%.” 

Apr. 25, 2005. Available at

www.greencarcongress.com/2005/04/hybrids_up_81_i.html.
14

25. Green Car Congress. “February US Hybrid Sales Second-Strongest Ever.” Mar. 1, 

2005. Available at www.greencarcongress.com/2005/03/february_us_hyb.html.

26. Green Car Congress. “US Hybrid Sales Rocket Upward in March.” Apr. 1, 2005. 

Available at www.greencarcongress.com/2005/04/us_hybrid_sales.html.

27. Green Car Congress. “April Hybrid Sales in US More than Triple from Year Before, 

Almost Reach 21,000.” May. 3, 2005. Available at

www.greencarcongress.com/2005/05/april_hybrid_sa.html.

28. Green Car Congress. “US Hybrid Sales in May Up 2.3x from 2004; Sales Pace Drops 

from April 05.” June 1, 2005. Available at

www.greencarcongress.com/2005/06/us_hybrid_sales.html.

29. Green Car Congress. “Hybrid Sales Increase in June from May; Highlander Off to 

Strong Start.” July 1, 2005. Available at

www.greencarcongress.com/2005/07/hybrid_sales_in.html.

30. Green Car Congress. “US Hybrid Sales Hit All-Time Monthly High in August.” Sept. 

1, 2005. Available at www.greencarcongress.com/2005/09/us_hybrid_sales.html.

31. Green Car Congress. “Hybrid Sales in US Top 205,000 in 2005.” Jan. 4, 2006. 

Available at www.greencarcongress.com/2006/01/hybrid_sales_in.html.

32. Green Car Congress. “January 2006 US Hybrid Sales Almost Double from Prior 

Year.” Feb. 23, 2006. Available at

www.greencarcongress.com/2006/02/january_2006_us.html.

33. Green Car Congress. “February 2006 US Hybrid Sales Up 44% from Prior Year; 

Prius Down 7.5%.” Mar. 7, 2006. Available at

www.greencarcongress.com/2006/03/february_2006_u.html.

34. Green Car Congress. “Hybrid Sales in US Climbed 7.5% in March.” Apr. 5, 2006. 

Available at www.greencarcongress.com/2006/04/hybrid_sales_in.html.

35. Green Car Congress. “US Hybrid Sales in April Back Over 21,000; Second Highest 

Month Yet (updated).” May 2, 2006. Available at

www.greencarcongress.com/2006/05/us_hybrid_sales.html.

36. Green Car Congress. “Ford’s US Hybrid Sales More than Double in April.” May 2, 

2006. Available at www.greencarcongress.com/2006/05/fords_us_hybrid.html.

37. Green Car Congress. “Sales of Hybrids in US Hit New Peak in May.” June 1, 2006. 

Available at www.greencarcongress.com/2006/06/sales_of_hybrid.html.

38. Green Car Congress. “US Sales of Hybrids Stay Strong in June 2006, Up 20% from 

2005.” July 3, 2006. Available at

www.greencarcongress.com/2006/07/us_sales_of_hyb.html.
15

39. Green Car Congress. “Prius Passes 500,000 Sales Mark Worldwide.” June 7, 2006. 

Available at www.greencarcongress.com/2006/06/prius_passes_50.html.

40. Green Car Congress. “US Sales of Hybrids Top 25,000 Units in July for a New 

High.” Aug. 4, 2006. Available at

www.greencarcongress.com/2006/08/us_sales_of_hyb.html.

41. Green Car Congress. “US Sales of Hybrids Hit New High in August: 26,189 Units, 

1.8% of LDV Market.” Sept. 6, 2006. Available at

www.greencarcongress.com/2006/09/us_sales_of_hyb.html.

42. Green Car Congress. “US Sales of Hybrids Drop in September. Oct. 4, 2006. 

Available at www.greencarcongress.com/2006/10/us_sales_of_hyb.html.

43. Green Car Congress. “US Sales of Hybrids in October Up 11% Year-on-Year.” Nov. 

3, 2006. Available at www.greencarcongress.com/2006/11/us_sales_of_hyb.html.

44. Green Car Congress. “US Sales of Hybrids in November Up 13.8% Year-on-Year.” 

Dec. 6, 2006. Available at

www.greencarcongress.com/2006/12/us_sales_of_hyb.html.

45. Green Car Congress. “Sales of Hybrids in the US Up 24% in December; Up 22% in 

2006 (corrected).” Jan. 4, 2007. Available at

www.greencarcongress.com/2007/01/sales_of_hybrid.html.

46. U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “New MPG 

Ratings.” Available at www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/ratings2008.shtml.

47. Argonne National Laboratory. VISION 2006 AEO Model. Argonne, IL: Argonne 

National Laboratory. Available at

www.transportation.anl.gov/software/VISION/index.html. 

48. HybridCARS. “Hybrid Market Forecasts.” Available at www.hybridcars.com/hybriddrivers/hybrid-market-forecasts.html.

49. Davis, S.; Diegel, S. Transportation Energy Data Book, Edition 26. Oak Ridge, TN: 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 2007.

50. U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, “Highway 

Statistics 2006.” Available at www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/ohim/hs06/htm/vm1.htm.
16

Appendix A. Annual HEV Sales Data

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Year

Sales (1,000s)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

140%

160%

180%

Percent Change

Sales Arith. Mean Geo. Mean Sales %Change

Figure A-1. HEV sales and annual percent increase [Source: Table A-1]
17

Table A-1. HEV Sales, 1999–2007 

Brand Vehicle 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007[18] Grand 

Total

Ford Escape 2,993[14] 18,797[15] 20,149[17] 21,386 63,325

Mariner 998[15] 3,174[17] 3,722 7,894

Ford Total 2,993 19,795 23,323 25,108 71,219

GM Aura 772 772

Sierra(a) 1,000[13] 3,000[16] 3,000[b] 7,000

Vue 4,403 4,403

GM Total 1,000 3,000 3,000 5,175 12,175

Honda Accord 1,061[13] 16,826[15] 5,598[17] 3,405 26,890

Civic 13,700[12] 21,800[12] 25,571[13] 25,864[15] 31,251[17] 32,575 150,761

Insight 17[10] 3,788[10] 4,726[10] 2,216[10] 1,20[12] 583[13] 666[15] 722[17] 13,918

Honda Total 17 3,788 4,726 15,916 23,000 27,215 43,356 37,571 35,980 191,569

Nissan Altima 8,388 8,388

Nissan Total 8,388 8,388

Toyota Camry 31,341[17] 54,477 85,818

GS 450h 1,784[17] 1,645 3,429

Highlander 17,989[16] 31,485[17] 22,052 71,526

LS 600hL 937 937

Prius 5,562[11] 15,556[11] 20,119[11] 24,600[12] 53,991[13] 107,897[15] 106,971[17] 181,221 515,917

RX 400h 20,674[16] 20,161[17] 17,291 58,126

Toyota Total 5,562 15,556 20,119 24,600 53,991 146,560 191,742 277,623 735,753

Grand Total 17 9,350 20,282 36,035 47,600 85,199 212,711 255,636 352,274 1,019,104

Notes: (a) GM Sierra data include Chevrolet Silverado data. 

(b) The GM Sierra total for 2006 was estimated on the basis of 2005 data, since published data were unavailable at 

the time of the analysis. 
18

Appendix B. Comparison Vehicles and Fuel Economy

Three sources were used for the hybrid electric vehicle fuel economy estimates. The first two 

estimates were based on both the new and the old EPA window labels; the third included 

user-reported fuel economy values. All estimates were obtained from information on EPA’s 

Web site, www.fueleconomy.gov, at the time of this analysis [46]. 

Table B-1 lists the combined city and highway EPA fuel economy estimates used in the 

analysis. Some user-reported values were based on a small number of users. For this reason, 

values obtained from fewer than five users are noted in the table. If no user-reported data 

were available at the time of the analysis, 85% of the old EPA combined rating was selected 

as the user-reported value.

Table B-1. Comparison Vehicles and Fuel Economy Estimates 

HEV Conventional Comparison Vehicle

Brand Vehicle Conventional

Comparison Vehicle

UserReportedOld EPA 

Combined

New EPA 

Combined

UserReportedOld EPA 

Combined

New EPA 

Combined

Ford Escape Escape 2WD V6 32 34 30 19(a) 22 20

Mariner Mariner 4WD V6 27 31 27 18(a) 21 19

GM Aura Aura 3.6L 4-spd Auto 31 30 27 23 24 21

Sierra GM Sierra 2WD 5.3L 18(a) 19 17 13(a) 18 16

Vue Vue 2WD 6 cyl. Auto 25 29 26 20 23 20

Honda Accord Accord 3L Auto. 22(a) 31 27 24 23 21

Civic Civic 1.8L Auto. 43 50 42 28 34 29

Insight Civic 1.8L Auto. 67(a) 63 47 28 34 29

Nissan Altima Altima V6 Auto 34 39 34 25 24 22

Toyota Camry Camry V6 3.5L Auto. 36 39 34 24 25 23

GS 450h GS430 22(b) 26 23 18(b) 21 19

Highlander Highlander 2WD 3.3L 27(a) 30 26 20(a) 21 19

LS 600hL LS 460 L 20(b) 23(c) 21 18(b) 21 19

Prius Corolla 1.8L Auto. 45 56 46 31 33 29

RX 400h RX 350 2WD 24 30 26 19(b) 22 20

Notes: (a) Fewer than five user-reported samples.

(b) No user-reported samples; 85% of old EPA combined label value used instead

(c) No published old EPA combined fuel economy available. Approximation used instead.
19

The percent improvement in HEV fuel economy over that of a conventional vehicle is listed 

in Table B-2 for each fuel economy estimate. Regarding these values, note that other vehicle 

design factors besides hybridization have an impact on fuel economy benefits. These results 

show a wide range of fuel economy impacts, depending on the HEV design that the 

manufacturer adopted for the vehicle.

Table B-2. Fuel Economy or Fuel Consumption Benefit 

Fuel Economy Improvement Fuel Consumption Decrease

Brand Vehicle Comparison Vehicle UserReported

Old EPA 

Combined

New EPA 

Combined

UserReportedOld EPA 

Combined

New EPA 

Combined

Ford Escape Escape 2WD V6 65% 55% 50% -39% -36% -33%

Mariner Mariner 4WD V6 53% 48% 42% -35% -33% -30%

GM Aura Aura 3.6L 4-spd Auto 34% 27% 29% -25% -22% -22%

Sierra GM Sierra 2WD 5.3L 31% 7% 6% -24% -7% -6%

Vue Vue 2WD 6 cyl. Auto 28% 27% 30% -22% -21% -23%

Honda Accord Accord 3L Auto. -9% 32% 29% 10% -24% -22%

Civic Civic 1.8L Auto. 52% 48% 45% -34% -32% -31%

Insight Civic 1.8L Auto. 138% 85% 62% -58% -46% -38%

Nissan Altima Altima V6 Auto 35% 60% 55% -26% -38% -35%

Toyota Camry Camry V6 3.5L Auto. 53% 54% 48% -34% -35% -32%

GS 450h GS430 28% 28% 21% -22% -22% -17%

Highlander Highlander 2WD 3.3L 38% 39% 37% -27% -28% -27%

LS 600hL LS 460 L 10% 11% 11% -9% -10% -10%

Prius Corolla 1.8L Auto. 47% 68% 59% -32% -40% -37%

RX 400h RX 350 2WD 28% 34% 30% -22% -26% -23%

Average 42% 42% 37% -27% -28% -26%
20

Appendix C. Vehicle Fleet Calculation













































+ ⋅ ⋅ − ⋅

= −















 



 



 − −

A A DRATE SFACTOR

e

V V

j ij i j

1 1 )

1 1

0 1

1, 1 , (Equation C-1)

where 

Vij = number of vehicles in year i at age j.

i = year index

j = age index

DRATE = price depreciation rate, set to 0.13

SFACTOR = survival factor, set to 1.1

A0 = set to 0.7

A1 = set to 8.0.

Source: [47]

Table C-1. HEV Vehicle Stock 

Brand Vehicle 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Ford Escape 2,993 21,789 41,932 63,297

Mariner 998 4,172 7,892

Ford Total 2,993 22,787 46,104 71,189

GM Aura 772

Sierra 1,000 4,000 6,998 6,994

Vue 4,403

GM Total 1,000 4,000 6,998 12,169

Honda Accord 1,061 17,887 23,480 26,871

Civic 13,700 35,497 61,054 86,877 118,030 150,387

Insight 17 3,805 8,530 10,743 11,933 12,496 13,120 13,761 13,623

Honda Total 17 3,805 8,530 24,443 47,430 74,611 117,884 155,271 190,881

Nissan Altima 8,388

Nissan Total 8,388

Toyota Camry 31,341 85,811

GS 450h 1,784 3,429

Highlander 17,989 49,470 71,503

LS 600hL 937

Prius 5,562 21,117 41,228 65,805 119,736 227,491 334,146 514,722

RX 400h 20,674 40,830 58,103

Toyota Total 5,562 21,117 41,228 65,805 119,736 266,154 457,571 734,505

Grand Total 17 9,367 29,647 65,671 113,235 198,340 410,825 665,944 1,017,132
21

Appendix D. Annual Fuel Savings from New Sales





 



 ′′ = −

conv HEV

i i i MPG MPG

G S M 1 1 , (Equation D-1)

where 

Gi

′′ = gallons saved in year i

Si = vehicles sold in year i

Mi = annual VMT in year i

MPGconv = conventional vehicle fuel economy

MPGHEV = HEV fuel economy.

Table D-1. Fuel Savings from New HEV Sales (thousands of gallons) 

Brand Vehicle 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Ford Escape 611 3,835 4,110 4,363

Mariner 190 606 710

Ford Total 611 4,025 4,716 5,073

GM Aura 100

Sierra 45 135 135

Vue 622

GM Total 45 135 135 722

Honda Accord 137 2,179 725 441

Civic 1,790 2,848 3,341 3,379 4,083 4,256

Insight 3 612 764 358 194 94 108 117

Honda Total 3 612 764 2,148 3,042 3,572 5,666 4,925 4,697

Nissan Altima 1,647

Nissan Total 1,647

Toyota Camry 5,396 9,380

GS 450h 200 184

Highlander 3,120 5,461 3,825

LS 600hL 57

Prius 868 2,426 3,138 3,837 8,422 16,830 16,686 28,267

RX 400h 2,920 2,847 2,442

Toyota Total 868 2,426 3,138 3,837 8,422 22,870 30,590 44,155

Grand Total 3 1,480 3,190 5,286 6,879 12,650 32,696 40,366 56,294

Note: Fuel savings based on new EPA labels and 12,240 annual miles.
22

Appendix E. Annual Fuel Savings from Vehicle Fleet 





 



 ′ = −

conv HEV

i i MPG MPG

G V M 1 1 , (Equation E-1)

where

Gi

′ = gallons saved in year i

Vi = total hybrid vehicle stock in year i

Mi = annual VMT in year i

MPGconv = conventional vehicle fuel economy

MPGHEV = HEV fuel economy.

Table E-1. Annual HEV Vehicle Stock Fuel Savings (thousands of gallons) 

Brand Vehicle 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Ford Escape 611 4,445 8,554 12,913

Mariner 190 796 1,506

Ford Total 611 4,635 9,350 14,419

GM Aura 100

Sierra 45 180 315 315

Vue 622

GM Total 45 180 315 1,037

Honda Accord 137 2,317 3,041 3,480

Civic 1,790 4,637 7,976 11,350 15,419 19,647

Insight 3 615 1,379 1,737 1,929 2,020 2,121 2,224 2,202

Honda Total 3 615 1,379 3,527 6,566 10,133 15,788 20,684 25,329

Nissan Altima 1,647

Nissan Total 1,647

Toyota Camry 5,396 14,774

GS 450h 200 384

Highlander 3,120 8,580 12,402

LS 600hL 57

Prius 868 3,294 6,431 10,264 18,677 35,485 52,121 80,287

RX 400h 2,920 5,766 8,206

Toyota Total 868 3,294 6,431 10,264 18,677 41,525 72,063 116,110

Grand Total 3 1,483 4,673 9,958 16,830 29,466 62,128 102,412 158,542

Note: Fuel savings based on new EPA labels and 12,240 annual miles.
23

Appendix F. Cumulative Fuel Savings by Year

∑=

= ′

j

i a

Gj Gi , (Equation F-1)

where 

Gi

′ = gallons saved in year i

Gj = total gallons saved between years a and j.

Table F-1. Cumulative HEV Fuel Savings (thousands of gallons) 

Brand Vehicle 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Ford Escape 611 5,056 13,610 26,523

Mariner 190 986 2,492

Ford Total 611 5,246 14,596 29,015

GM Aura 100

Sierra 45 225 540 855

Vue 622

GM Total 45 225 540 1,577

Honda Accord 137 2,454 5,495 8,975

Civic 1,790 6,427 14,403 25,753 41,172 60,819

Insight 3 618 1,997 3,734 5,663 7,683 9,804 12,028 14,230

Honda Total 3 618 1,997 5,524 12,090 22,223 38,011 58,695 84,024

Nissan Altima 1,647

Nissan Total 1,647

Toyota Camry 5,396 20,170

GS 450h 200 584

Highlander 3,120 11,700 24,102

LS 600hL 57

Prius 868 4,162 10,593 20,857 39,534 75,019 127,140 207,427

RX 400h 2,920 8,686 16,892

Toyota Total 868 4,162 10,593 20,857 39,534 81,059 153,122 269,232

Grand Total 3 1,486 6,159 16,117 32,947 62,413 124,541 226,953 385,495

Note: Fuel savings based on new EPA labels and 12,240 annual miles.
F1147-E(10/2008)

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2. REPORT TYPE

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4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

Fuel Savings from Hybrid Electric Vehicles

5a. CONTRACT NUMBER

DE-AC36-08-GO28308

5b. GRANT NUMBER

5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER

6. AUTHOR(S)

K. Bennion and M. Thornton

5d. PROJECT NUMBER

NREL/TP-540-42681

5e. TASK NUMBER

FC08.2000

5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

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National Technical Information Service

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13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

14. ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 Words)

Since they were introduced in the United States in 1999, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) have saved nearly 230 

million gallons (5.5 million barrels) of fuel. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) calculated the fuel 

savings resulting from using HEVs by comparing their fuel use with that of similar conventional vehicles, which 

closely matched the hybrid as to size, weight, performance, and vehicle manufacturer. NREL estimated the total 

HEVs in use for a given year (vehicle stock) using available sales data and Argonne National Laboratory’s VISION 

model. Though fuel savings are small in relation to the total amount used in light-duty U.S. vehicles, this is a big step 

forward in reducing imported fuel for U.S. transportation needs and improving vehicle efficiency. Hybrid electric 

vehicles represent a small but growing group of vehicles in the United States. Applying hybrid technology to large 

cars, minivans, sport utility vehicles, and light-duty trucks will help to increase fuel savings from HEVs. 

15. SUBJECT TERMS

fuel economy; fuel savings; hybrid vehicles; hybrid electric vehicles; hybrid electric vehicle sales; HEVs

16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION 

OF ABSTRACT

UL

18. NUMBER 

OF PAGES

19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON

a. REPORT

Unclassified

b. ABSTRACT

Unclassified

c. THIS PAGE

Unclassified 19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (Include area code)

Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8/98)

Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18