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

Vehicle Technologies Office

Fact #339: September 27, 2004
Who Thinks Hydrogen Is the Best Replacement Fuel for Gasoline?

A thousand people were asked in a random survey:

"Consider a future date when gasoline is no longer available. Which of the following do you think would be the best fuel for use in personal vehicles: electricity, ethanol, or hydrogen?"

The same people were asked which of those three choices is the worst fuel for use in personal vehicles. The graph below shows the range of responses (across different demographics groups) for people who answered hydrogen as their best or worst fuel choice.

Respondents Who Think Hydrogen Is the Best/Worst
Fuel to Replace Gasoline
Survey response (across different demographics groups) of those who believed hydrogen was the best or worst fuel choice if gasoline is no longer available in the future.

Supporting Information

Respondents Who Think Hydrogen Is the Best/Worst Fuel to Replace Gasoline
  Hydrogen Is Best Hydrogen Is Worst
  Share of Respondents
Male 40% 22%
Female 17% 23%
     
18–24 yrs old 38% 18%
Over 65 yrs old 20% 25%
     
North Central 23% 25%
West 34% 17%
     
Less than $25,000 income 23% 30%
More than $75,000 income 37% 19%
     
Less than high school education 20% 24%
College graduate 35% 23%

Source: Opinion Research Corporation for National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Study #713359 (N = 1,041), August 27, 2004.

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