From Small Cars to Pickup Trucks, Automakers Aren’t Just Meeting Efficiency Standards, They’re Exceeding Them

(Union of Concerned Scientists) The emissions and efficiency standards for vehicles have been a big success, according to a new analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Ten percent of new passenger cars and trucks sold today already meet standards for 2020 and beyond, and the majority of those are powered by gasoline and diesel engines. With innovative technologies being deployed across all types of vehicles, consumers have more choices for models that save thousands of dollars in fuel costs, and automakers are demonstrating they can deliver even more efficient vehicles in the future.

“The efficiency and emissions standards are working—all you have to do is look at cars and trucks that are on the road today to see it,” said Dr. Dave Cooke, vehicles analyst at UCS. “Automakers are meeting the challenge of making cleaner cars, and Americans are buying those cars. The standards are delivering even faster than expected.”

Manufacturers are more than a year ahead of regulatory requirements, the UCS study finds:

Spurred by the new standards, automakers are getting more and more out of conventional vehicles, deploying engines, transmissions and lightweight materials that deliver major fuel economy improvements across all classes of vehicles, from small cars to large pick-ups. The UCS analysis found that, compared to their 2010 versions, gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles that exceed the 2020 standards save owners nearly $4,000 in fuel costs over the lifetime of the vehicle.

By 2025, these standards will cut the global warming emissions from the average new car or truck by 50 percent compared to 2010. Already, vehicles sold under those standards are saving 5 million gallons of gasoline every day, and the nation has avoided 29 million metric tons of emissions.

“The standards for cars and trucks are a huge achievement for drivers and for the environment,” said Michelle Robinson, director of the Clean Vehicles program at UCS. “As we hit Memorial Day and kick off the summer driving season, customers have more options than ever to save them money at the pump. Automakers have demonstrated that they can meet the regulatory challenge. The incredible advances we’ve seen are a testament to how important this policy is, and automakers are well-poised to meet future standards for vehicles of all sizes.” READ MORE and MORE Download study

Excerpts from Union of Concerned Scientists Fact Sheet: A Ford F-150 that travels 5 miles further on every gallon of gas. A Mercedes crossover that saves drivers over $8,000 dollars in lifetime fueling costs. A Mitsubishi compact that gets 40 miles per gallon.

These aren’t fuel efficiency fantasies; they’re real numbers that represent new vehicles on the market today. Thanks to the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) and global warming emission standards passed in 2010, today’s new cars and trucks are more efficient than ever before. And despite claims that the standards are expensive or technologically impossible, automaker manufacturers continue producing cleaner cars and trucks every year, saving consumers money and dramatically cutting carbon pollution.

The standards have been so successful that today’s new vehicles are, on average, about 1 mile per gallon ahead of their annual targets. About 10 percent of the vehicles sold today are a full five or more years ahead of schedule, meeting regulatory targets for 2020 and beyond. These include variants of six of the top 10 best-selling cars and trucks in the United States. READ MORE See Slide Show