U.S. Fuel Economy Hit New Highs With 2013 Models
Posted by Christina Nunez
The Great Energy Challenge Energy Blog
American cars are using less gas per mile and emitting less carbon dioxide than ever before, according to a government analysis released Wednesday. The average fuel economy of 2013 models is 27.6 miles per gallon for cars and 19.8 miles per gallon for trucks, “both of which are all-time highs,” said the report from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Fuel economy in the United States has improved in eight of the last nine years, the analysis said, reversing a negative trend between model years 1987 and 2004. Most of the savings are due to engine and transmission innovations such as variable transmissions and variable valve timing. Vehicle weight, which stayed relatively flat, and acceleration power (which continues to increase) also play a role in fuel economy. (Take the quiz: What You Don’t Know About Cars and Fuel)
