Obama Administration to Require Vehicles to Get 42 Miles Per Gallon
In what will be a sweeping change for the entire auto industry, the Obama administration will soon require
cars and light trucks to get 42 miles to the gallon by 2016. There is a timetable that phases in the new standards over time. The new standards are part of the administration's efforts to curb emissions related to smog and global warming.
While the 30 percent increase would be an average for both cars and light trucks, the percentage increase in cars would be much greater, rising from the current 27.5 mpg standard to 42 mpg starting in 2016. The average for light trucks would rise from 24 mpg to 26.2 mpg.
California, 13 other states and the District of Columbia had earlier urged the federal government to let them enact more stringent standards than the federal government's requirements. The states' regulations would cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent in new cars and trucks by 2016.
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The Detroit News reported that automakers were on board with the new rule because of that, and because they worked with the administration on creating a timeline for the transition.
California has substantially raised fuel efficiency requirements, which prompted lawsuits from the auto industry who says that it can't be required to meet multiple efficiency standards. This will end those lawsuits because there will be a new, federal standard for all cars and light trucks.
