Hawai'i drivers burned 186 million gallons of gasoline through the first five months of this year, down 2.3 percent from the same period a year earlier, according to a new report from the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Gasoline consumption on O'ahu posted the biggest decline, falling 5.3 percent from January through May compared with the same five months in 2008. Gas consumption on Kaua'i fell 0.7 percent, while it rose in Maui and Hawai'i counties by 2.5 percent and 5.5 percent respectively, DBEDT said in its Monthly Energy Trends report.

The report also showed that foreign crude oil imports to Hawai'i fell to 17.5 million barrels during the first five months of this year, up 20 percent from the same period in 2008. Imports of foreign ethanol fell 8.9 percent during the same time frame, DBEDT reported.

In addition, there were 925,802 registered gasoline-powered cars and trucks in the state as of July, down 2.7 percent from a year earlier, according to the report. Registrations of electric vehicles, meanwhile, rose to 175 in July, a 9.4 percent increase over July 2008.

In a separate report, AAA Hawaii said the average price of a gallon of gasoline in Hawai'i climbed to $3.16 this week, ending a string of three consecutive weekly declines. The statewide average price was up four cents from a week ago, but down 13 cents from a month ago, AAA said in its Daily Fuel Gauge Report.