Every day our cars and trucks guzzle an eye-popping 378 million gallons of gasoline, spewing millions of tons of global warming pollution into the air. This accounts for about 40 percent of U.S. oil consumption, with freight trucks adding another 14 percent.
Saving oil in transportation is crucial for reducing our perilous foreign energy dependence and addressing the climate challenge. Improving vehicle technology also would keep our domestic auto industry competitive in a world where fuel efficiency has become a significant advantage in the global marketplace.
In April the Environmental Protection Agency finalized vehicle emissions standards that will make millions of new cars, SUVs, minivans and pick-up trucks use fuel more efficiently. The standard of about 35 miles per gallon by 2016 will cut oil consumption by nearly 55 million gallons every day by 2020, saving consumers $65 billion at the pump. Now President Obama has instructed the EPA and the Department of Transportation to take these important performance standards to the next level, specifically by issuing a draft proposal by the end of September. He has also instructed that a first-of-its-kind fuel efficiency and pollution standard be established for freight trucks.
In order to continue driving down our dangerous oil addiction, we need the bar set as high as possible. Experts agree that 60 mpg by 2025 is technically achievable, with consumer savings at the pump exceeding the cost of newly deployed technology.
What to do:
Send a message, before the September 30th proposal deadline, urging President Obama to make sure his administration sets the bar high for both cars and trucks in order to reduce our dependence on oil and cut global warming pollution.