Today’s automakers are finding themselves between a stop sign and a stoplight. After decades of profitably making money off gas-guzzlers and high horsepower vehicles, they now face a public wanting—no, demanding—fuel-efficient vehicles in exchange for their greenbacks (that’s dollars, folks). On the other hand, state and federal governments are breathing down their necks with minimum mpgs to be met, the latest being 54.5 mpg by 2025. Both take time and money to meet, something in short supply in today’s ferocious car market.
The pressure, though, is yielding results. The Transportation Research Institute, based in the University of Michigan, recently confirmed the average fuel economy of cars, light trucks (which includes crossovers), minivans, and SUVs is rising. According to the Institute’s latest study, fuel economy among those vehicles averages 23.0 mpg. That’s an improvement of 0.5 mpg from 2011 figures and 2.5 mpg better than those from 2008. At the same time, the Institute’s study showed that greenhouse gas emissions have dropped 14 percent since 2010, meaning today’s vehicles are cleaner as well as more fuel efficient.
The Institute started tracking fuel economy in late 2007.
Automotive.com’s take: About time.
Source: Detroit Free Press
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