The Senate fuel economy compromise accurately and fairly addresses industry concerns over equitable treatment of cars and trucks.

Work trucks like Ford’s F-250 are exempted from the mpg average.

1.  Work trucks are exempted.  Addressing the needs of American ranchers and construction workers, the Senate proposal exempts heavy duty models like the F-250 and F-350 pickups from the 35 mile per gallon (mpg) average.  Instead, these trucks would be subject to feasibility-based standards determined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

2.  Fuel economy standards are based on vehicle attributes.  Under the Senate compromise, a NHTSA-derived “curve” will identify target mpgs for vehicles with different attributes, such as vehicle footprint.  This approach works very well for differentiating not only small cars, but full-size trucks like the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado from the rest of the vehicle fleet.

3.  Each automaker has its own fuel economy requirement.  The Senate provision calls for each manufacturer’s fuel economy standard to be determined by the types of vehicles it makes.  Manufacturers that produce mostly cars will have to meet higher fuel economy standards than those that produce mostly large trucks and SUVs. This eases compliance for companies that produce more large trucks and SUVs, and removes any incentive to alter the product mix.  According to a recent study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), achieving the Senate proposal’s 35 mpg average would require that GM, Ford, and Chrysler only reach an average of 33.4, 32.9, and 33.3 mpg in 2020, respectively.

Source: UMTRI

Finally, if needed, NHTSA has the flexibility to incorporate other attributes in setting fuel economy targets.