Global Warming News

Environment America is the new home of U.S. PIRG’s environmental work.

Washington, DC – While the CEOs of the Big Three automakers met with Senators behind closed doors to convince them to keep on dragging their heels on fuel economy, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) released a new analysis showing that outdated gas mileage standards will cost Americans $53.1 billion dollars at the pump this summer alone.

“The Big 3’s refusal to deliver the best technology leaves American consumers stuck with gas guzzlers and paying more at the pump,” said U.S. PIRG energy advocate Ben Schreiber.

Model year 2006 cars and trucks achieved only 21 miles per gallon (mpg).  U.S. PIRG’s report shows that if American cars achieved 40 mpg and gasoline prices stay at $3.00 a gallon, American consumers would save $53.1 billion at the pump this summer alone. If the price goes up to $4.00 a gallon, as has already happened in some parts of the country, consumers would save $70.8 billion on gasoline this summer.  

In 2002, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) concluded that automakers could use a combination of existing and emerging technologies to achieve 37 mpg within 10-15 years while improving safety and maintaining performance. The NAS report did not anticipate the recent progress in hybrid technology, so the fuel economy gains could be greater.  In 2005, the Union of Concerned Scientists showed that a 40 mpg standard was achievable in 10 years while improving vehicle safety.

“Increased fuel economy is achievable, but automakers prefer to get more mileage from timeworn excuses than from their cars. This is an industry that has fought change at every step from mandatory seat belts to catalytic converters to air bags, and they are continuing the tradition with fuel economy,” said Schreiber.

The Markey-Platts bill (H.R. 1506) has wide support, with 134 co-sponsors in the House, and is a compromise that advances current laws and ensures a fuel economy standard of 35 mpg in 2018. The fuel economy provisions passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee (S. 1419) set a fuel economy target of 35 mpg by 2020 but do not ensure the targets are actually met.

“The Senate CAFE provisions must be strengthened to ensure that improvements are actually obtained and to protect states’ authority to set standards for greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles,” noted Schreiber.

“The auto industry is proposing a ludicrously weak standard that would only make minimal gains in fuel economy and prevent states from setting standards for greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles,” Schreiber said.

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U.S. PIRG is the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups.  State PIRGs are non-profit, non-partisan public interest advocacy organizations.