Truemag

  • Newsletters
  • Thought Leadership
  • Mobility
  • Safety
  • Work Trucks
  • Videos
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
  • Media Kit
  • Who We Are

USDOT Proposed Fuel Economy Standards: More Savings, Greater Energy Security

USDOT Proposed Fuel Economy Standards: More Savings, Greater Energy Security

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a proposal to update fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks. A 60-day public comment period will begin after the proposal is published in the Federal Register.

NHTSA will engage with a broad set of stakeholders during this period, including consumers, unions, automakers, states, environmental groups and others. The proposal would also drive fuel efficiency improvements for heavy-duty pickup trucks and work vans.

If finalized as proposed, the updated standards would save Americans hundreds of dollars at the pump, all while making America more energy secure and less reliant on foreign oil. NHTSA estimates that the combined benefits of its proposal exceed costs by more than $18 billion.

“Better vehicle fuel efficiency means more money in Americans’ pockets and stronger energy security for the entire nation,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

NHTSA’s proposed fuel economy standards complement and align with the Environmental Protection Agency’s recently proposed emissions standards for similar vehicle fleets. NHTSA will coordinate with the EPA to optimize the effectiveness of its standards while minimizing compliance costs, consistent with applicable statutory factors. With the release of today’s proposal, NHTSA invites comments from all stakeholders on how this goal can be achieved.

The proposed rule sets targets that are consistent with Congress’ direction to conserve fuel and promote American energy independence and American auto manufacturing, while providing flexibility to industry on how to achieve those targets. Though NHTSA does not take electric and other alternative fuels into account in setting the standards, manufacturers may use all available technologies – including advanced internal combustion engines, hybrid technologies and electric vehicles – for compliance.

The new proposal also supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to cutting costs for Americans and reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution in communities near freeways and other heavily trafficked roads, which are disproportionately low-income communities of color. Since the lowest-income households spend nearly 20% of income on transportation fuels, which is three times the average U.S. household, this proposal is consistent with the Administration’s commitment to advancing environmental justice.

“CAFE standards have driven the auto industry to innovate in improving fuel economy in ways that benefit our nation and all Americans,” NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson said. “The new standards we’re proposing today would advance our energy security, reduce harmful emissions, and save families and business owners money at the pump. That’s good news for everyone.”

As one of the range of options on which the agency is taking public comment, the preferred alternative in NHTSA’s proposal includes a 2% per year improvement in fuel efficiency for passenger cars, and a 4% per year improvement for light trucks, beginning in model year 2027 and ramping up through model year 2032, potentially reaching an average fleet fuel economy of 58 miles per gallon by 2032.

It also includes a 10% improvement per year for commercial pickup trucks and work vans (with gross vehicle weight ratings of more than 8,500 pounds and less than 14,001 pounds) beginning in model year 2030 and ramping up through model year 2035.

If finalized as proposed, this alternative would:

  • Save consumers more than $50 billion on fuel over the vehicles’ lifetimes.
  • Reduce our dependence on oil by saving more than 88 billion gallons of gasoline through 2050.
  • Prevent more than 900 million tons of CO2 emissions – the equivalent of taking more than 233 million vehicles off the road from 2022 through 2050.

 

The proposal also models a range of additional alternatives. NHTSA requests comment on the full range of standards from the no-action alternative to the most stringent alternative modeled, including comment on combinations of standards that may not be explicitly identified in the proposal.


You can read the proposal here. For more information, please see NHTSA’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy page.

Jul 31, 2023Dave Bean
Why Top Solar Companies Are Changing Their Financial ModelSmartphones Lead to Distraction. Could They Also Prevent It?
Recent Posts
  • The Hidden Liability Lurking in Your Fleet: Why Open Recalls Put Your Business at Risk
  • Best Cars for College Students
  • Saving 45W: American Fleet Leadership Coalition Rallies to Protect the Future of EVs
  • A Call to Action: The Value of AI Agents in Creating the Most Effective and Profitable Fleet Marketing Programs
  • Police in 28 States Are Pulling Drivers Over for Breaking the “No Touch” Rule
  • Ranger Design Launches First-to-Market Upfit Packages for BrightDrop 400 & 600
  • Nussbaum Selects Lytx to Elevate its Innovative Approach to Video Safety
  • Green Fleet Awards: Join the Ranks of the Top Green Fleets!
  • AFLA Education – Fleet Safety Module Now Available!
  • The $250 EV Tax Has No Legal Precedent in Over 200 Years
ASSOCIATION NEWS
Green Fleet Awards: Join the Ranks of the Top Green Fleets!
AFLA Education – Fleet Safety Module Now Available!
NAFA Webinar: Federal & State Policy Developments Fleet Managers Need to Know
NAFA Opens Applications for 2025 Green Fleet Awards, Celebrating Sustainable Fleet Practices
2025 NAFA I&E Wrap Up: A Promising and Productive Fleet Conference
AFLA Education – A New Learning Experience!
NAFA and The Hourglass Foundation Announce Philanthropic Alliance Partnership
TECHNOLOGY
Volvo Reinvents the Seatbelt Again: Smart Safety Tech Debuts on EX60
‘Who Are My Safest Drivers?’ Fleet Managers Turn to AI for Safety Insights
EVAI Survey: Opportunities, Challenges with GPT Interfaces for Fleet Management; Adoption Still in Early Stages
Fleetio Launches Advanced Analytics to Help Fleets Turn Data into Action
SOFICO Marks Global Expansion and Product Acceleration with New Strategic Identity
Fleetology: Fleet Vehicle Fuel-Saving Innovations in 2025 – Progress, Adoption, and Returns
Chevin Fleet Solutions Launches Smart Integrate: Seamless API Integrations for FleetWave
CONFERENCES & WEBINARS
NTEA 2025 Executive Leadership Summit: Registration Opens
NETS 2025 Strength IN Numbers® Fleet Safety Benchmark Conference: Registration Open
2025 NAFA I&E Wrap Up: A Promising and Productive Fleet Conference
Kudos, Caution and a Master Class
NAFA’s 2025 Media Day Highlights Groundbreaking Innovations
NAFA Announces Lineup for 2025 Indoor EV Test Track and Ride & Drive Experience at I&E
Fleet Advantage Offers Free Fleet Audits at ACT Expo; Address Tariffs, AI and Data Accuracy
INDUSTRY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Element, Samsara Partner to Launch Comprehensive Fleet, Ops Management Offering Across Canada, US
NAFA Webinar: Federal & State Policy Developments Fleet Managers Need to Know
Applications are Now Open to the 2025 Green Fleet Awards!
Wheels Honored with Multiple Stevie Awards: Innovation, DEI Achievement, and Corporate Social Responsibility
Vincentric Announces 2025 Best Fleet Value in America™ Awards: Ford, Toyota, and Stellantis Outperform the Competition
Vincentric Analysis of Electric Vehicles Finds 44% Have Lower Ownership Costs Than Comparable Gas Alternatives
Don’t Miss Out on The Fleet Event of the Year

Fleet Management Weekly Newsletter Archive
Access to back issues of the FMW newsletter.

FMW Mobility
How mobility is rapidly changing the fleet management landscape.

Newsletter

Subscribe

FMW Fleet Videos
Video clips of industry leaders speaking on a variety of engaging hot topics in fleet.

2014-2020 © Fleet Management Weekly