[MetroMPG]

U.S. crude oil demand fell to its lowest in nearly four years in July as the middling U.S. economy and fuel efficiency gains weighed on consumption, the American Petroleum Institute said on Friday.

At the height of summer driving season, petroleum demand dropped 2.7 percent from a year earlier to 18.062 million barrels per day. It was the smallest amount of U.S. oil consumption for any month since September 2008.

[...]

A large chunk of the decline in oil demand came from gasoline use. Gasoline demand fell 3.8 percent in July to 8.624 million bpd. Consumption of the fuel was down 1.1 percent for the first seven months of the year, compared to the same period a year before. Consumers are buying more fuel efficient vehicles, which is keeping U.S. gasoline demand down, said

Tim Evans, an energy analyst for Citi Futures Perspective. "This is an established, ongoing long-term trend," Evans said. "U.S. gasoline demand appears to have to peaked in 2007 and over time we've been consuming less."

source: UPDATE 2-US oil demand dipped to near 4-year low in July-API | Reuters