U.S. auto safety regulators have finalized fuel economy standards for light-duty cars and trucks that are more stringent than a proposal in August, pushing automakers to further improve the fuel efficiency of gasoline-powered vehicles as the industry shifts to electrification.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s NHTSA on Friday said its new standards would increase fuel efficiency by 8 percent per year for cars and light trucks in the 2024 and 2025 model years, and by 10 percent for the 2026. The rules will require an industrywide fleet average of approximately 49 mpg in the 2026 model year.
NHTSA said U.S. gasoline consumption will be cut by more than 220 billion gallons in comparison with a continuation of the Trump-era standards. Under the rule, consumer fuel costs will be reduced by about $192 billion for new vehicles sold through 2030.
The agency’s August proposal in comparison would have increased corporate average fuel economy, or CAFE, requirements by 8 percent annually over the 2024-26 model years and required an industrywide fleet average of roughly 48 mpg in the 2026 model year.
The proposed rule would have reduced consumer fuel costs by nearly $140 billion for new vehicles sold by 2030, NHTSA said.
Click here to read the full report from Audrey LaForest at Automotive News.