American car buyers consider fuel efficiency the most important factor

According to a new study that was conducted by market research firm Kelton Global on behalf of the American Chemistry Council (ACC), car owners in the United States rank fuel efficiency as the most important factor in their decision to purchase a new vehicle.

More than 75% of Americans said that fuel efficiency is even more important than other factors such as the body type of a car, safety features available, or the price of a new vehicle. The study, Driving Toward Change, also found that 37% of the 1,000 respondents said that they drive out of their way to find gas stations with lower prices.

Considering that the survey was funded by ACC and its Plastics Division, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that most of the questions focused on the use of lightweight materials for components in vehicle manufacturing. What is surprising, however, is that only 55% of the respondents knew that lighter-weight vehicles are more fuel efficient.

“What many car buyers don’t realize is that lighter materials place less of a strain on a car’s engine and improve gas mileage,” said Steve Russell, vice president of the ACC Plastics Division, in a statement. “For many of today’s cars, plastics make up 50 percent by volume, but only 10 percent by weight, which is great news for Americans concerned about paying too much at the pump.”

Read more about the story at Auto World News.