Feds looking at much stricter mpg requirements
Rehiring in some auto plants in August helped ease the economic conditions of some counties, especially in the South. (2010) Credit: AP
WASHINGTON - Cars and trucks averaging 62 miles per gallon? Seems extraordinary now, but the government suggested Friday that automakers could be required to build lineups like that by 2025, making today's high-mileage hybrids seem conventional and turning gas guzzlers into mere relics.
It's all included in potential efficiency ranges the government is considering for new cars and trucks starting in 2017. By a decade and a half from now, in 2025, a carmaker's fleet of new vehicles may need to meet a standard somewhere from 47 mpg to 62 mpg, the Transportation Department and Environmental Protection Agency said.
Those mileage gains would be the equivalent of an annual decrease in carbon dioxide emissions per mile of 3 percent to 6 percent.
The new standards are closely watched by the auto industry as it develops future vehicles, and environmental groups trying to curb oil dependence and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. President Barack Obama has pushed for tougher fuel efficiency standards, and new rules could take on added significance if Congress is unable to pass energy legislation capping greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.
The government envisions gas-electric hybrids making up about half the lineup of new vehicles under the most aggressive standards, while electrics and plug-ins would comprise about 10 percent of the fleet.
"The auto industry has 15 years to meet these new standards - that's plenty of time to use innovation and technology to reach 60 miles per gallon," said Brendan Bell of the Union of Concerned Scientists' clean vehicles program.
Automakers, who plan their vehicle offerings years in advance, cautioned that pushing gas mileage standards up too quickly could force them to raise prices beyond the reach of many consumers.
