Fuel Efficiency Hits Record

[rickaren]

U.S. Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Hits Record Level



Nov 22, 2010

Good news, tree huggers! According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), new cars and light trucks sold in 2009 had an average fuel economy that was the best since the agency started recording data in 1975.

Increasing by 1.4 mpg, the 2009 U.S. fleetwide average fuel economy is 22.4 mpg.

This can be attributed to various factors. “The average weight and horsepower of a new vehicle fell from the 2008 to 2009 model year. The average vehicle weight fell from 4,085 pounds to 3,917 pounds,” explains The Detroit News. The weight of new cars and trucks plays a significant role in the fuel efficiency of a car. When you add more weight, engines have to work harder to cover a given distance. Working harder burns more fuel, reducing efficiency.

Another key factor is the balance between car and truck production. “The balance between cars and trucks also shifted, with the light truck segment — including vans, pickups and S.U.V.’s — slipping to 40 percent in 2009 models, a decrease of 7 percent from 2008,” reports The New York Times. This is a far cry from 2004, when the average car was classified a light truck.

Although some may argue that the correct way to measure fleet mpg would be to look at auto manufacturer’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE), Autoblog points out: “The EPA's numbers, which are about 20 percent lower than those use for CAFE reporting, are said to be more realistic representations of everyday usage.”

While it would be nice to say that the fleetwide mpg increase could be attributed to new green cars for sale with better fuel economy, it appears that the root cause for this change were buying trends and the impact of the American recession. As the economy continues to recover, it is likely that buyers will shift their purchases back to more powerful vehicles. However, if you are shopping for a new vehicle that is a fuel miser, your best options are the hybrid Toyota Prius and electric cars, like the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf.

LINK: U.S. Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Hits Record Level - U.S. News Rankings and Reviews