Fuel economy values increased percent between and while CO emissions dropped percent, according to the EPA’s annual report that tracks the fuel efficiency of vehicles sold in the US.
According to the study, between and US cars and light trucks saw an increase in average fuel economy to . mpg — a . mpg improvement compared to the previous year — representing the largest annual improvements since EPA began reporting on fuel economy.
Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: through attributes the improvements to the rapid adoption of more efficient technologies, the increasing CG Leads number of high fuel economy choices for consumers, and the fact that many automakers are already selling vehicles that can meet more stringent future fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards see chart.
The report indicates that the projected gains for more than make up for a slight dip in fuel economy in .
The numbers are based on sales estimates automakers provided to the EPA.
Compared to five years ago, consumers have twice as many hybrid and diesel vehicle choices, a growing set of plug-in electric vehicle options, and a six-fold increase in the number of car models with combined cityhighway fuel economy of mpg or higher.
The agency expects to double fuel efficiency and cut carbon pollution of vehicles in half by under the Obama administration’s National Clean Car Program standards, issued in . The regulations will save American families $. trillion dollars in fuel costs, and by will result in an average fuel savings of more than $, per vehicle, according to the EPA. The program will also save billion barrels of oil, and by will reduce oil consumption by more than million barrels a day — as much as half of the oil imported from OPEC every day.
The President has also said he will ask Congress to create a $ billion energy security trust to fund alternative fuel research. According to the Chicago Tribune, the trust will be included in Obama’s proposed budget and will research fuels that could eventually replace gasoline. The money would come from expected revenue from drilling permits, and from higher oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico.