NEW DELHI: Two-wheelers are the biggest consumers of petrol in India followed by cars, according to a survey by Nielsen.
The survey shows that two-wheelers consume 61.42% of the country’s total petrol sales, while cars account for 34.33%. Petrol consumption by two-wheelers exceeds 70% of total sales in Odisha, Bihar and Rajasthan, an oil ministry statement said quoting the survey.
Government and industry officials said the survey could be an eye opener for the government, which is to face general elections soon as a steep hike in petrol rates could alienate the rural people. Petrol prices have soared over 51% to Rs 72.43 a litre (in Delhi) since it was deregulated in 2010.
Rising petrol prices have already started affecting sales of two-wheelers, ET first reported about it on September 18 quoting a preliminary report of the survey. The report has said the skyrocketing petrol prices would dampen the demand for motorcycles and scooters, the only affordable means of personal transport in rural India.
Two-wheelers consume more than 61.4% of the country’s 16 million tonne of gasoline sales, and 30% of this comes from villages. The survey said about 70% of diesel and 99.6% of petrol are consumed in the transport sector alone. “Of the total diesel sale, the highest consumption of 28.48% is by cars, utility vehicles and three wheelers,” the oil ministry statement said.