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Table 3
Historical and Projected Auto Operating Costs, 1990 - 2020

Year Retail Gas Price
(Current $)		 CPI Gas Price
(1990 $)		 Fuel
Correction
Factor		 Fuel
Economy
(MPG)		 Gasoline
Operating
Cost		 Non-Gas
Operating
Cost		 Total Auto
Operating
Cost
Cost (¢/mi) in 1990 Constant Dollars
1990 $1.241 406.0 $1.241 1.000 21.9 5.67 ¢/mi 3.05 ¢/mi 8.72 ¢/mi
1991 $1.197 423.9 $1.146 1.000 21.9 5.23 ¢/mi 3.43 ¢/mi 8.66 ¢/mi
1992 $1.302 438.1 $1.207 1.000 21.9 5.51 ¢/mi 3.57 ¢/mi 9.08 ¢/mi
1993 $1.299 449.9 $1.172 1.000 21.9 5.35 ¢/mi 3.70 ¢/mi 9.05 ¢/mi
1994 $1.275 457.1 $1.132 1.000 21.9 5.17 ¢/mi 3.45 ¢/mi 8.62 ¢/mi
1995 $1.286 466.0 $1.120 1.000 21.9 5.12 ¢/mi 3.57 ¢/mi 8.69 ¢/mi
1996 $1.434 482.3 $1.207 1.000 21.9 5.51 ¢/mi 3.47 ¢/mi 8.98 ¢/mi
1997 $1.448 493.0 $1.192 1.000 21.9 5.45 ¢/mi 3.63 ¢/mi 9.08 ¢/mi
1998 $1.450 508.8 $1.157 1.000 21.9 5.28 ¢/mi 3.52 ¢/mi 8.81 ¢/mi
2000 $1.599 550.3 $1.180 1.000 21.9 5.39 ¢/mi 3.59 ¢/mi 8.98 ¢/mi
2005 $1.913 669.5 $1.160 1.000 21.9 5.30 ¢/mi 3.53 ¢/mi 8.83 ¢/mi
2010 $2.287 814.6 $1.140 1.000 21.9 5.21 ¢/mi 3.47 ¢/mi 8.68 ¢/mi
2015 $2.734 991.1 $1.120 1.000 21.9 5.11 ¢/mi 3.41 ¢/mi 8.52 ¢/mi
2020 $3.279 1205.8 $1.104 1.000 21.9 5.04 ¢/mi 3.36 ¢/mi 8.40 ¢/mi
Inflation Assumption (1998 - 2020) = 4.0 percent per year

Notes:
  1. Future gas price of $1.104 per gallon is equivalent to #1.384 per gallon in 1998 dollars.
  2. Future gas price is based on California Energy Commission staff estimates.
  3. Future non-gasoline operating cost is based on assumption that it is 2/3 of auto gasoline costs.
  4. No change in overall fleet fuel economy is assumed. This respects the no change in fuel economy trend shown by the US Energy Inforamtion Agency (EIA) in their "Household Vehicles Energy Consumption Report" (September 1997).
Last Updated: 8/26/98
CPurvis, MTC

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