4602.0.55.002 - Environmental Issues: Waste Management, Transport and Motor Vehicle Usage, Mar 2012 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 26/10/2012   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All

MOTOR VEHICLE USE

In March 2012, 92% of Australian households had at least one registered motor vehicle kept at home. New South Wales had the highest proportion of households with no home based vehicle (12%). (Table 3.1)

Of the 1.7 million households who purchased a motor vehicle in the 12 months prior to March 2012, purchase price (58%); fuel economy and running costs (45%); size of vehicle (41%); and type of vehicle (37%) were the four main factors considered when choosing which one to buy. Generally, environmental impact was not a strong influence when purchasing a vehicle (7%). (Table 3.2)

In the last three years, diesel fuel usage in household's main motor vehicle has increased from 9% in 2009 to 13% in 2012. Unleaded petrol, which comprises regular, premium and ethanol blends, continued to be the main source of fuel for motor vehicles, although, usage has decreased from 86% in 2009 to 83% in 2012. More households chose premium unleaded (14%) and ethanol blends (6%) to fill the tanks of their main vehicle in 2012, compared with 8% and 3% respectively, in 2009. Over the same period, regular unleaded petrol usage has declined from 75% to 63%. (Table 3.3)

More households in New South Wales (20%) and the Australian Capital Territory (18%) used premium unleaded petrol than any other state or territory. Ethanol blended unleaded petrol was also more popular in New South Wales (15%) compared with the Australian average of 6%. More households in the Northern Territory (23%) used diesel than any other state or territory. (Table 3.3)

Type of fuel used in household's main motor vehicle - 2006 to 2012
Graph: Type of fuel used in household's main motor vehicle2006 to 2012