NHTSA pushes for stricter fuel economy standards

The National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released a draft environmental impact statement that seeks stronger fuel economy standards, according to a recent report by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA).

The goal would be to save motorists 18.3 billion gallons of fuel by 2030. The agency recently proposed a fuel economy increase to a combined 31.6 miles per gallon (mpg) (35.7 mpg for passenger cars and 28.6 mpg for light trucks). 

The draft impact statement evaluated several alternatives, including a "technological exhaustion" standard (which would require technologies to be implemented regardless of cost) and a total-cost-equal-total-benefits standard (which would require technologies to be adopted until the cost equaled the fuel savings), according to AAIA.

Fuel efficiency could climb as high as 52.6 mpg under the technological exhaustion standard and 43.3 mpg under the costs-equal-benefits standard. These increases in fuel efficiency could save between 10.3 billion and 13.2 billion gallons of gasoline over 18.3 billion gallons that would be saved under the Agency previously released proposed rule.

The agency will accept comments through Aug. 18. For more information, click here.