Vehicle choice in an aging population: Some insights from a stated preference survey for California

This paper investigates the potential effects that an aging "baby boomer" g eneration will have on gasoline use through their vehicle choice decisions. The study uses stated preference data for both conventional and alternativ e fuel vehicles, and measures the impact of age of survey respondent on the perceived value of vehicle characteristics such as fuel economy, performan ce, and body style (e.g., car vs, truck). The results suggest the possibili ty that average fleet fuel economy may improve in the next few years, if su rvey preferences translate to actual purchase behavior. No clear implicatio ns can be drawn regarding the demand for alternative fuel vehicles.