In a bid to reduce carbon emissions and save money for American car owners, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced new fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks. For model years 2027-2031, passenger cars will see a 2 percent annual increase in fuel economy, while light trucks will experience the same increase for model years 2029-2031. By the end of this period, the average light-duty vehicle will achieve around 50.4 miles per gallon by model year 2031.
These new standards are expected to have significant environmental benefits, preventing over 710 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 and saving nearly 70 billion gallons of gasoline. The transition to more fuel-efficient vehicles will not only save Americans money at the pump but also decrease harmful pollution and reduce the country’s reliance on foreign oil.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg expressed his support for these new standards, highlighting the savings that car owners can expect. According to Buttigieg, the average car owner will save more than $600 in gasoline costs over the lifetime of their vehicle due to these increased fuel efficiency standards. Additionally, heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans will see fuel efficiency improvements as well, with a 10 percent annual increase for model years 2030-2032 and an 8 percent annual increase for model years 2033-2035. By model year 2035, this will result in a fuel economy of approximately 35 miles per gallon, saving owners over $700 in fuel costs over the lifetime of their vehicles.
