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

Vehicle Technologies Office

Fact #634: August 2, 2010
Off-highway Transportation-related Fuel Consumption

The Environmental Protection Agency's NONROAD2008a model estimates fuel use for off-highway equipment. Construction and mining equipment using diesel fuel account for the majority of this fuel use. Nearly all of the alternative fuel used in off-highway equipment is consumed by forklifts.

Off-highway Transportation-related Fuel Consumption, 2008
Bar graph showing the 2008 off-highway transportation-related fuel consumption including gasoline, diesel, CNG, and LPG for the following areas: railroad maintenance; airport ground; logging; recreational, industrial; agricultural; and construction and mining. For more detailed information, see supporting information below.

Supporting Information

Off-highway Transportation-related Fuel Consumption, 2008 (million gallons)
  Gasoline Diesel LPG CNG Total
Agricultural Equipment
Tractors, mowers, combines, balers, and other farm equipment which has utility in its movement		 66.3 3,833.8 0.1 0.0 3,900.2
Airport Ground Equipment 2.1 94.8 2.5 - 6,235.0
Construction and Mining Equipment
Pavers, rollers, drill rigs, graders, backhoes, excavators, cranes, mining equipment		 91.9 6,123.0 20.1 - 6,235.0
Industrial Equipment
Forklifts, terminal tractors, sweeper/scrubbers		 113.9 869.2 2,154.2 146.9 3,284.2
Logging Equipment
Feller/buncher/skidder		 12.9 170.6 - - 183.5
Railroad Maintenance Equipment 1.3 23.2 0.1 - 24.6
Recreational Equipment
Off-road motorcycles, snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, golf carts, specialty vehicles		 1,289.6 13.2 1.3 - 1,304.1
Total 1,578.0 11,127.8 2,178.3 147.0 15,031.0

*There is no equipment listed for this fuel type.
Source: Environmental Protection Agency, NONROAD2008a Model.

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