In a win-win-win for the environment, the nation, and consumers, the White House on Friday announced an historic agreement with 13 major automakers to pursue the next phase in the Administration’s national vehicle program, increasing fuel economy to 54.5 miles per gallon for cars and light-duty trucks by Model Year 2025. This will go a long way as we try to decrease our dependence on petroleum and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.
The President was joined in the agreement by Ford, GM, Chrysler, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar/Land Rover, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota and Volvo – which together account for over 90% of all vehicles sold in the United States – as well as the United Auto Workers (UAW), and the State of California, who were integral to developing this agreement.
These new standards will save American families money at the pump, for a total of $1.7 trillion in fuel savings over the life of the program. The standards will cut our oil dependence, reducing oil consumption by an estimated 2.2 million barrels a day in 2025 (eventually reaching more than 4 million barrels a day as the fleet turns over), and saving 12 billion barrels in total over the lifetime of the program. And they will clean up our environment, cutting greenhouse gas emissions by more than 6 billion metric tons over the life of the program, while reducing pollutants like air toxics, cause soot, and smog.
In addition to saving fuel, the new standards will help spur the development of advanced vehicle technology such as the plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to be produced in the new Fisker production facility in Delaware. The Fisker Karma pictured below is the world’s first premium plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.
