Making new cars and trucks go farther on a gallon of gas is the biggest single step we can take to cutting America’s oil dependence, curbing global warming, and saving money at the gas pump.
The technology exists today to make all vehicles – from sedans to SUVs to pickup trucks – experience a dramatic improvement in fuel economy, safely and cost-effectively.
The legislation sponsored by Representatives Markey (D-MA) and Platts (R-PA) – H.R. 1506 – would put this fuel-saving technology to work by raising Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards.
Background
At the height of the energy crises of the 1970s, Congress enacted the nation’s first miles-per-gallon standards for new vehicles in 1975.
By enacting Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, the fleetwide fuel economy of new vehicles doubled in ten years.
As a result, the United States saves approximately 3 million barrels of oil per day, making it the most successful energy-saving measure ever adopted.
However, despite breakthroughs in gas-saving technology, the government has allowed fuel economy standards to stagnate.
As a result, the fuel economy of today's new vehicles has fallen to the lowest level in over two decades.
The Markey-Platts legislation would jumpstart the auto industry by setting the first meaningful fuel economy improvements in decades.
Bill Structure
The Markey-Platts legislation eliminates the current distinction between cars and light trucks by creating a single fleet-wide fuel economy average.
It then closes the ‘light-truck loophole’ by raising the combined fleet-wide average to 27.5 miles per gallon by model year 2012 – the current standard required of passenger cars.
The legislation then requires a 4 percent increase in fuel economy standards each year until model year 2018 – an increase consistent with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report, other research, and President Bush’s proposal in the State of the Union.
After model year 2018, the legislation requires NHTSA to set fuel economy standards that are 4% higher each year after 2018, unless NHTSA finds that this is not technologically or economically feasible.
Finally, the legislation allows the type of fuel-economy “reform” requested by the Bush administration, allowing NHTSA to set attribute-based fuel economy standards for different classes of vehicles.
The Biggest Single Step
Right now, America’s cars and light trucks consume over 8 million barrels of oil per day - accounting for approximately 40 percent of U.S. oil consumption.
Since each gallon of gasoline burned releases 24-28 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) – the heat-trapping gas that causes global warming – into the atmosphere, passenger vehicles account for over 20 percent of the nation’s global warming pollution.
By raising fuel economy standards, H.R. 1506 will cut America’s oil dependence, curb global warming, and save consumers money at the gas pump.
Benefits of H.R. 1506
2015
2020
2025
Reduction in Oil Demand (million barrels per day)
0.4
1.6
3.1
Net Consumer Savings with gasoline at $2.00 per
gallon (billions per year)
$ 3
$ 19
$ 31
Reduction in Global Warming Pollution (million metric
tons CO 2-equiv. per year)
