White House Announces Stronger Fuel Economy Standards

By Tim Young

The Obama administration released plans today to set stronger fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards for cars and light trucks in model years 2017-2025.

These proposals, which are part of the White House’s “We Can’t Wait” campaign, raise the fuel efficiency equivalent to passenger cars and trucks to 54.5 MPG throughout those years.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation, these new standards will save Americans over $1.7 trillion dollars in fuel costs, which is more than $8,000 per vehicle by 2025.  The administration also says that this will reduce America’s dependence on oil by nearly 2.2 billion barrels per day by 2025, offsetting a quarter of the country’s foreign oil imports.

“These unprecedented standards are a remarkable leap forward in improving fuel efficiency, strengthening national security by reducing our dependence on oil, and protecting our climate for generations to come,” Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.

Today’s proposal follows President Obama’s announcement in July that the Administration and 13 major U.S. automakers have agreed to build on the first phase of the national vehicle program.

Both the EPA and DOT officials consulted with stakeholders ranging from manufacturers to the United Autoworkers to develop these proposals.