November 16, 2007

MEDIA RELEASE Embargoed 11.30 am (AEDT)

118/2007

Australia's motor vehicle fleet is getting younger, according to annual Motor Vehicle Census figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

The average age of vehicles has been falling, from a high of 10.7 years in 1998 to 10 years in 2007.

Tasmania had the oldest vehicles, at 11.9 years on average, while the Northern Territory had the youngest at nine years.

Campervans were the oldest type of vehicle (18.6 years), while motorcycles were the youngest (9.1 years). Cars averaged 9.7 years.

There were 14.8 million vehicles in 2007, an increase of 12.2% since 2003.

Motorcycles had the fastest growth, up by more than a third (35.7%) since 2003. Cars increased just over 10%.

Across Australia, there were 705 vehicles per thousand people. The Northern Territory had the fewest with 553 vehicles per thousand people and Western Australia the most at 800 vehicles per thousand people.

Petrol was used by 86.3% of vehicles, 11.2% used diesel and the remainder used fuels such as liquified petroleum gas.

Further details are in Motor Vehicle Census (cat. no. 9309.0).