U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Vehicle Technologies Office

Fact #306: February 9, 2004
Vehicle Type Differences on Vehicle Miles Traveled

According to the 2001 National Household Travel Survey, household automobiles are driven an average of 10,548 miles per vehicle in a year. Vans and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are driven 20% more miles than automobiles, and pickups — 9% more miles. The average over all vehicle types is 10,942 miles.

Average Annual Miles per Vehicle by Vehicle Type, 2001
Graph showing the average annual miles driven per vehicle by vehicle type according to the 2001 National Household Travel Survey.

Supporting Information

  Average Annual Miles per Vehicle Amount of Increase over Automobile Miles
Automobile 10,548  
Van 12,632 20%
SUV 12,709 20%
Pickup 11,524 9%
All 10,942 4%

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, 2001 National Household Travel Survey, web site data query, January 2004.

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