Coalition Urges Congress To Increase Fuel Efficiency

With the support of over 35 businesses and organizations, Arizona PIRG is urging our congressional delegation to support bipartisan legislation to raise fuel economy standards to at least 35 miles per gallon by 2018. Although we can and should go much further, this bill is a reasonable compromise.

In 2002, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) concluded that automakers could use existing and emerging technologies to achieve 37 miles per gallon (mpg) within 15 years, while improving safety and maintaining performance. At that time, the NAS did not anticipate the progress we have seen with hybrids and cleaner diesel, so the fuel economy gains could be greater.

A 40 mpg standard would save the average car owner between $3,500 and $5,500 each year in gas bills. In addition, a recent study finds that a net 161,000 jobs would be created by a 40 mpg standard.

This policy has been successful before.

In 1975, in response to OPEC’s oil embargo, lawmakers required cars and light trucks to almost double fuel economy to 27.5 and 20.7 miles per gallon, respectively.

Cars today use 2.8 million fewer barrels of oil per day than they would have before the 1975 law.