USDOT proposes improved fuel economy standards for cars, light trucks

© Shutterstock

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced Thursday that it would be proposing new fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks.

Part of President Joe Biden’s Executive Order 13990, the new fuel economy standards would promote and protect public health and the environment, the agency said.

“This proposal would save drivers hundreds of billions of dollars on gas, reduce pollution, and help counter the climate crisis we are seeing all around us,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “And by giving American car manufacturers a clear path forward, we will ensure that more of those clean vehicles, and jobs, are created right here.”

The new standards would provide consumers with increased fuel economy, saving close to $140 billion in fuel savings for new vehicles sold by 2030 and $470 billion by midcentury. The new standards would also cut greenhouse gas emissions, reduce air pollution and reduce our dependence on oil.

The department said the new standards would increase fuel efficiency by 8 percent annually for model years 2024-2026 and increase the estimated fleet-wide average by 12 miles per gallon for model year 2026 relative to model year 2021.

“Our proposal reduces climate pollution by approximately the same amount as if we took more than 5 million of today’s vehicles off the road, while also saving Americans money at the pump,” said NHTSA Acting Administrator Dr. Steven Cliff, “This is important for the climate and also for public health. This proposal will help low-income areas and communities of color that have been disproportionately impacted by these emissions, making it an issue of environmental justice as well.”

The NHTSA said it will also begin work on developing fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light-duty trucks for Model Years 2027-2020, as well as developing fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.