With the industry increasingly focused on electric vehicles, an annual review by the Environmental Protection Agency shows improvement during the 2020 model year in fuel economy and emissions.
Critics, however, say the improvements in fuel economy and controlling emissions are small and fall well short of the promises the industry has made in the past.
According to the EPA, the carbon dioxide emissions fell by seven grams per mile to 349 grams per mile, the lowest result ever measured. Average fuel economy increased 0.5 mile per gallon to 25.4 mpg, achieving a record high. Since model year 2004, emissions have decreased 24%, or 112 g/mi, and fuel economy has increased 32%, or 6.1 mpg, EPA said.
During that time, carbon dioxide emissions and fuel economy have improved in 13 out of 16 years, according to the executive summary of the new report released last week. However, it’s important to note most automakers relied on credits to meet minimum federal emission standards.
Not everyone is happy
Dan Becker, director, Safe Climate Transport Campaign, said the changes are limited given the scope of the challenge posed by climate change.
Auto companies have long promised to churn out “clean cars,” but the EPA’s report shows they’re falling short, Becker noted.
“Americans can’t drive promises,” Becker said. “The report comes as the Glasgow summit recedes in the rearview mirror and final decisions are approaching on how to strengthen new auto rules, said Becker, a long-time critic of automakers. Treaties haven’t done “bupkis” to slash emissions.
Becker said it was up to President Joe Biden to shore up weak auto rules, adding pollution and gas mileage won’t improve without strong standards.
Improvement on emissions, fuel economy stall
Becker noted auto companies negotiated with the Obama administration and promised to cut emissions 5% a year. Instead, the report showed, mileage and pollution improved a scant 1.9% to 25.4 mpg.
The Trump administration, however, undermined Obama’s goals, scrapping the targets and loosening the rules.
Becker said curbing emissions contributing to climate change has become more important since the Obama administration imposed tougher rules nearly 10 years ago. “The atmosphere doesn’t listen to automaker promises. It only knows what cars and trucks emit,” Becker said
“With weak rules, automakers will keep pushing gas guzzlers, sticking consumers with high gas bills and plentiful pollution. With strong new rules, the administration can take the biggest single step of any nation to fight climate change, slashing auto pollution and requiring automakers to mass-produce clean electric vehicles.”
However, during the past two years, the dynamics in the auto industry have shifted dramatically as carmakers promote the use of electric vehicles, which are expected to account for an increasingly larger share of vehicles sold in the U.S. by the middle of the decade and beyond.
Becker noted the EPA report noted gas mileage and emissions improved a mere one-half mile per gallon, or 1.9% — far short of the annual 5% improvement auto companies promised in 2012.
Detroit’s automakers make little progress
In addition, the three U.S.-based manufacturers — Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler), GM and Ford — were at the bottom of the barrel, delivering the worst fuel efficiency and spewing the most emissions.
Sport-utility vehicles and pickups continued to replace more efficient cars, making up nearly 70% of auto production. Horsepower, size and vehicle weight increased to their highest levels ever.
Only Tesla, Subaru and Honda met the standards without taking advantage of loopholes. Rather than delivering required gas mileage, the others relied on credits, either by buying them from Tesla or by equipping vehicles with such technologies as solar roof panels that don’t actually improve emissions.
Five companies — Stellantis, Volkswagen, BMW, Mazda and Nissan — delivered worse fleet-wide gas mileage and emissions than they did five years ago.
Becker also said automakers also have failed to install widely available technology, such as continuously variable transmissions, turbochargers and hybrid systems, which significantly improve gas mileage and emissions.
If the buying public wanted to buy Ford Fiestas, Ford would still be selling them. They build what they can sell. It’s called capitalism. I wonder what Dan Becker drives, assuming he knows how.