New Vehicles Are More Fuel-Efficient Than Ever, EPA Report Shows
Just a couple of days after Canada detailed how it plans to ban sales of new gas-only vehicles in 2035, we hear that those on the road today are more fuel-efficient than ever. At the same time, they’ve never been bigger, heavier and more powerful.
This comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) latest Automotive Trends Report, which looked at fuel economy ratings for all 2022 model-year vehicles across the industry. The yearly improvement is the highest in nine years, with an average of 26 mpg or 9.05 L/100 km.
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Since the 2004 model year, CO2 emissions have decreased 27% while fuel economy has increased 35%, the EPA found.
The larger number of hybrids and electric vehicles on the market is an obvious reason why, but don’t forget all those efforts by automakers to downsize their engines and make them more efficient and cleaner. On a side note, did you know that the average EV now offers a range of up to 305 miles or 491 km?
A slight majority of automakers have improved their CO2 emissions and fuel economy over the last five years. The following graph also reveals which ones are the best and the most improved.
Other than Tesla, which only sells fully electric models, the most fuel-efficient automaker is now Hyundai. Honda has slipped into second place, while Kia, Subaru and Toyota round out the top five. The latter has made the biggest jump from 2017 to 2022.
While Mitsubishi is not ranked in the EPA report, it’s worth pointing out that the Mirage remains the non-electrified car with the best fuel economy in the entire auto industry with a combined rating of 6.2 L/100 km (according to Natural Resources Canada).
Some of the manufacturers whose average fuel economy and emissions have gotten worse over the past five years include Mazda, Volkswagen, BMW and General Motors. Stellantis, once again dead last, continues to emphasize power and performance over efficiency, although its electrification plans for the rest of the decade are not to be scoffed at. It also led all automakers in buying emissions credits to comply with EPA regulations last year.
Don’t miss our top 10 rankings of the most fuel-efficient cars and trucks in 2023. Also, check out the top 10 vehicles with the lowest emissions going into 2024.