Canada and US new fuel efficiency standard

[Canada 02]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last September predicted these standards, negotiated to satisfy more aggressive targets demanded by the state of California, would boost the average cost of a vehicle by less than $1,100 (U.S.) by 2016. However, the EPA estimated consumers would save several thousand dollars in fuel costs over the life of a car built in 2016.

Canadian vehicle makers are expected to accept the new standards on the grounds that they’re being applied uniformly across the U.S. and Canada and will ensure a level playing field for all manufacturers.

The U.S. standards will require that an automaker’s combined fleet of cars and trucks – the models it offered for sale – get on average 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016. Converted to metric in Canada, this would mean a standard of six litres of gas for every 100 kilometres travelled.

35.5 mpg is a drastic change. I'm looking for a mid-size car or small suv, and nearly everything in these categories are in the low to mid 20s mpg. Only diesel and hybrid will come close to that new standard

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1519474/

[BlackArcher101]

Yes, but when they say that the 35.5 target is for their combined fleet of vehicles that are offered for sale, doesn't that imply that the average mpg of it's fleet must be at least 35.5?

That's the way it looks like to me. Otherwise there would be a real hard time making all models they have for sale get even close to that number. My guess, suvs and trucks don't improve much, but they improve cars or add new models that will offset the lower mileage cars even more to obtain that average.

I just hope this doesn't eventually lead to emissions testing.

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Yes, but when they say that the 35.5 target is for their combined fleet of vehicles that are offered for sale, doesn't that imply that the average mpg of it's fleet must be at least 35.5?

That's the way it looks like to me. Otherwise there would be a real hard time making all models they have for sale get even close to that number. My guess, suvs and trucks don't improve much, but they improve cars or add new models that will offset the lower mileage cars even more to obtain that average.

I just hope this doesn't eventually lead to emissions testing.

Why not? Unless you're working in the automobile industry designing these things (and even then...), I really don't see the harm. More efficient cars = more efficient dollars for me. The two aren't always interlinked, but for automobiles often are.

I also don't see why it would lead to emissions testing.These standards were a long time in coming and a natural progression.