WASHINGTON (August 31, 2007) - A preliminary 2007 model year fuel economy projection for the U.S. automobile fleet from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) demonstrates the effectiveness of federal fuel economy laws and growing consumer preference for cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Below is a statement by David Friedman, research director in the Union of Concerned Scientists' Clean Vehicles Program:

"The preliminary NHTSA numbers are a welcome sign. There hasn't been a full mile-per-gallon increase for more than 20 years. The NHTSA data show that the administration's small CAFE increases for light trucks are working and that people are demanding higher fuel economy while doing the best they can with the very limited choices on the market today. If these numbers pan out, the auto industry is effectively disproving its lobbyists' arguments with the products it's rolling off the assembly line.

"Automakers are producing more fuel-efficient trucks in response to CAFE regulations and many consumers are avoiding the most gas-guzzling models. Federal fuel economy standards for trucks increased 0.6 mpg in 2007 to 22.2 mpg, while preliminary government data show a 0.7 mpg improvement.

"New technology and new models are also slowly satisfying pent up consumer demand for more fuel efficient choices. The new Nissan Altima, which gets 4 more miles per gallon than last year's model on CAFE tests, is one example of where technology is being used well. And growing sales for vehicles like the Nissan Versa and Honda Fit, each with 4 or 5 stars on NHTSA's safety ratings, show that the market had previously been failing to meet the needs of many consumers.

"But some automakers are bucking the positive trend.  If the numbers hold up, Toyota would be the only large automaker to fall backward on truck fuel economy (projected to drop 0.5 mpg). NHTSA data also projects a 3 mpg drop in Toyota's domestic cars. That would make Toyota the poster child for an auto industry with an identity crisis. At the same time Toyota's producing ads with hybrids driving through green fields, it's making less fuel-efficient vehicles and its lobbyists are pushing for a watered-down fuel economy law.

"Automakers may want to leave our country more dependent on oil from unfriendly nations, but the last thing we need is for Congress to weaken the 35 mpg CAFE law passed by the Senate. It has taken automakers years of higher gas prices and increased fuel economy standards to start offering a limited number of fuel efficient models. Meanwhile, the climate has been warming, and the U.S. has become even more dependent on foreign oil. If the projected fuel economy increase comes through, we have a start. But raising fuel economy standards to 35 mpg by 2020 is the only way we will continue to see consumer preference and federal regulations work together to produce a better auto fleet."

(The NHTSA projections can be found at http://dmses.dot.gov/docimages/pdf102/480389_web.pdf. The Detroit Free Press first reported on the projections.)