New cars and light trucks will be required average of approximately 49 mpg in model year 2026, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced last week.
The new standards will increase fuel efficiency 8% annually for model years 2024-2025 and 10% annually for model year 2026. They will also increase the estimated fleetwide average by nearly 10 miles per gallon for model year 2026, relative to model year 2021, according to the DOT.
"(The) rule means that American families will be able to drive further before they have to fill up, saving hundreds of dollars per year,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “These improvements will also make our country less vulnerable to global shifts in the price of oil, and protect communities by reducing carbon emissions by 2.5 billion metric tons.”
Strong fuel economy standards strengthen U.S. energy independence and help reduce reliance on fossil fuels, according to the DOT. Since Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards were signed into law in 1975, the standards have reduced American oil consumption by 25%, or approximately 5 million barrels a day.
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