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6. Why fuel consumption matters

Why fuel consumption matters

Canada's transportation system needs to be efficient, accessible, reliable and sustainable. It is critically important for our economy and standard of living, for personal mobility and for the efficient movement of goods both at home and abroad. However, while transportation provides many economic and social benefits, the movement of people and goods can have significant environmental consequences, which in turn have social and economic repercussions.

Transportation (air, marine, road and rail) accounts for about 27% of all of Canada's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and this percentage continues to grow.

From 1990 to 2005, all transportation-related GHG emissions grew by 33%, from 150 megatonnes (Mt) to 200 Mt. GHG emissions from passenger vehicles also continue to grow.

From 1990 to 2005, GHG emissions from passenger vehicles alone increased by 10%, as the volume of passenger traffic (or passenger-kilometres) increased by 30% during the same period. [Source: Transportation In Canada 2007 - An Overview]

That's a huge cost for the environment.

Fuel Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Fuel consumption and GHG emissions are essentially two sides of the same coin – the more fuel a vehicle burns, the more carbon dioxide (CO₂) is emitted into the environment. CO₂ is one of the end products of burning fuel. And the quantity of carbon in a vehicle's exhaust gas is equal to the quantity of carbon consumed by the engine as fuel. When fuel burns, the carbon and hydrogen separate, with the carbon combining with oxygen to form CO₂. One of the most important ways Canadians can contribute to reducing the environmental impact of personal transportation is to reduce their fuel consumption by, for example, driving less, using public transportation and purchasing fuel-efficient vehicles. For more information on ways to reduce your fuel consumption, read our Driving Tips.

Buying a vehicle that has low fuel consumption and driving it efficiently is not only good for the environment – it will also save you money. It makes perfect sense – the less fuel you use, the more money in your pocket.

To give you a sense of the potential savings for both you and the environment of purchasing a fuel-efficient vehicle, let's compare two mid-sized vehicles from the same manufacturer – the Toyota Camry and the Toyota Camry Hybrid. The following information is taken from the 2008 Canadian Fuel Consumption Guide.

Specifications	Camry	Camry Hybrid
Engine size	2.4 L	2.4 L
Number of cylinders	4	4
Transmission	Manual 5+	Continuously variable
Fuel consumption - city	9.6 L/100 km (29 Cdn mpg)	5.7 L/100 km (50 Cdn mpg)
Fuel consumption - highway	6.4 L/100 km (44 Cdn mpg)	5.7 L/100 km (50 Cdn mpg)
Annual fuel consumption	1,640 L	1,140 L
Annual fuel cost (average of 90¢/L)	$1,476	$1,026
Annual CO2 emissions	3,936 kg	2,736 kg

As this example shows, by choosing the hybrid model, not only will you be saving money but you'll be making an environmentally friendly choice as well. It may not seem like much but when you multiply this amount over a number of years, you can see that the savings for you, the consumer – and for the environment – really start to add up.

You too can do your part. Fuel consumption matters!

Date modified:

2012-03-08

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