Improving Fuel Efficiency: How to Go Farther on a Gallon of Gas
Improved fuel efficiency will help reduce U.S. oil consumption and curb global warming emissions—while saving consumers billions of dollars at the pump.
Increasing the fuel efficiency of U.S. vehicles is a critical component of Half the Oil, our plan to cut projected U.S. oil use in half in 20 years.
The historic fuel economy and global warming emissions standards finalized in August 2012 have the potential to reduce our oil use by more than 4 million barrels per day by 2035, a key step toward implementing Half the Oil.
We have the technology to meet or exceed the recently finalized vehicle standards, deliver a wide range of clean transportation options that meet consumers’ needs, and position the United Sates as a global leader in transportation technology.
Fuel economy basics
Fuel economy is a measure of a vehicle’s efficiency, usually expressed in miles per gallon. The U.S. Department of Transportation and Environmental Protection Agency work together to establish national standards that set the average fuel economy and global warming pollution standards that an auto manufacturer's fleet must achieve.
Learn more about:
Clean Car Standards
Fuel Economy Basics
Fixing the EPA's Fuel Economy Tests
Working Truck Fuel Economy: The Facts
Benefits of increased fuel efficiency
Fuel-efficient vehicles require less gas to go a given distance. When we burn less gas, we need less oil. When we use less oil, we reduce global warming emissions, improve air quality, and protect public health. Plus we spend less at the pump, saving money that can far surpass any additional costs associated with buying a more fuel-efficient vehicle in the first place.
Learn more:
- Protecting Consumers from Pain at the Gas Pump
- Jobs, Energy, and Fuel Economy 2007
- 21st Century Solutions to High Gas Prices (2004)
In-depth reports
- Where Your Gas Money Goes: How Oil Companies Profit From Your Pain at the Pump (2013)
- Delivering Jobs: Economic Costs and Benefits of Improving the Fuel Economy of Heavy-Duty Vehicles (2010)
- Setting the Standard (2008)
- Reducing Global Warming Pollution: Technology Options for Tractor-Trailers (2008)
- Delivering the Green: Reducing Trucks' Climate Impact While Saving at the Pump (2008)
- Drilling in Detroit (2001)
Improving U.S. fuel economy
Smart government policy provides the most effective means to improve the fuel economy of our nation’s cars and trucks. In August 2012, the federal government enacted strong new standards for vehicles produced through 2025. If correctly implemented, these standards could nearly double the average new vehicle fuel economy to about 50 miles per gallon.
How to maximize your vehicle’s fuel economy
A few simple things can noticeably increase your car’s mileage. These include: regular maintenance, properly inflated tires, limited idling, and fuel-efficient driving habits.
