Krispy's Blog

De onderstaande berichten doen me als econoom goed. De eerste laat zien dat zelfs de vraag naar benzine is niet inelastisch is, hogere prijzen betekent minder vraag. Ook dalen de verkopen van benzineslurpers in de VS o.a. door de verwachting dat de benzineprijs voorlopig hoog zal blijven. De vraag naar zuinige automodellen blijft wel constant.

ENN: Summer gasoline use down first time in 17 years

Record gasoline prices and a contracting U.S. economy will reduce summer gasoline demand for the first time in 17 years, the government’s top energy forecasting agency said Tuesday.

(…)In its summer forecast, EIA said gasoline demand will be 36,000 barrels per day lower at 9.404 million bpd, the first summer decline since 1991.

ENN: A “Seismic Shift in Consumer Preferences” for the Auto Industry

Total vehicles sales have dropped 12% in the U.S. since March 2007. Why? What does this mean for the future of the auto industry?

(…)

The sales slump has hit almost all major models, except for fuel-efficient compact vehicles. “This is a very challenging external environment, reflecting a seismic shift in consumer preferences,” said Ford’s Mr. Farley.

Such a shift will necessarily aid the growth of alternative vehicles, such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) that offer far more fuel savings over the lifetime of a conventional car.