December 12, 2013
1 min read
Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAmU.S. 2012 Model-Year Vehicles Hit Record Fuel Efficiency
The average fuel economy of vehicles sold in the United States hit a record high 23.6 miles per gallon (mpg) for the model year 2012, the U.S.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The average fuel economy of vehicles sold in the United States hit a record high 23.6 miles per gallon (mpg) for the model year 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Thursday.
Projections for the model 2013 year indicate a rise of 0.4 mpg, the EPA said, though the agency added that it did not yet have final data for 2013.
The 23.6-mpg reading for 2012 was a 1.2 mpg increase over the previous year and the second largest increase in the last 30 years, the EPA said. The boost is part of a trend that has seen fuel economy increase by 2.6 mpg, or 12 percent, since 2008, and by 4.3 mpg, or 22 percent, since 2004, according to the EPA.
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Oil traders and analysts have said that improved fuel economy could curb fuel demand growth. Evidence of this effect should start to appear as drivers replace older vehicles with newer, more efficient models, they forecast.
Automakers reported an 8.9 percent rise in U.S. sales in November from a year earlier with a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of sales reaching 16.41 million vehicles.
(Reporting by Robert Gibbons; Editing by Alden Bentley)
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
