U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Vehicle Technologies Office
Fact #459: March 5, 2007
Best and Worst Fuel to Replace Gasoline
Public opinion surveys from December 2000, August 2004, and February 2007 posed this question:
"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?"
A comparison of the answers from the three different years shows a change in the public's view of future fuels. In both the 2000 and 2004 surveys, electricity was chosen more often than any other fuel type. However, in 2007, Ethanol was chosen by more than one-third of the respondents.
Best Fuel to Replace Gasoline When Gasoline is No Longer Available 
The respondents were also given the same choices and asked which would be the worst fuel for use in personal vehicles when gasoline is no longer available. Over the survey years, a growing share of respondents chose electricity as the worst fuel to replace gasoline. The share of respondents who don't know (or are unwilling to make a choice) declined to 20% in 2007.
Worst Fuel to Replace Gasoline When Gasoline is No Longer Available 
Supporting Information
Best and Worst Replacement Fuels
| |
Best Fuel to Replace Gasoline |
Worst Fuel to Replace Gasoline |
| Fuel |
2000 |
2004 |
2007 |
2000 |
2004 |
2007 |
| Electricity |
52% |
41% |
32% |
15% |
21% |
26% |
| Ethanol |
21% |
19% |
36% |
28% |
28% |
29% |
| Hydrogen |
15% |
28% |
25% |
27% |
23% |
24% |
| Don't know |
12% |
13% |
7% |
30% |
29% |
20% |
|
Source: Opinion Research Corporation for National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Study #709489 (N = 1,000), December 1, 2000, Study #713359 (N = 1,041), August 27, 2004, and Feburary 8, 2007 (N=1022). |
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