NHTSA finalizes CAFE standards for Model Year 2024-2026; fleet average of 49 mpg by 2026
02 April 2022
The US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has finalized new Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for MY 2024-2026. The new standards require an industry-wide fleet average of approximately 49 mpg for passenger cars and light trucks in model year 2026.
Estimated Average of CAFE Levels (mpg) Required Under Final Rule
Fleet | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | Passenger Cars | 49.2 | 53.4 | 59.4 | 59.4 | 59.3 | 59.3 | Light Trucks | 35.1 | 38.2 | 42.4 | 42.4 | 42.4 | 42.4 | Overall Fleet | 40.6 | 44.2 | 49.1 | 49.1 | 49.2 | 49.3 |
The new standards will increase fuel efficiency 8% annually for model years 2024-2025 and 10% annually for model year 2026. They will also increase the estimated fleetwide average by nearly 10 miles per gallon for model year 2026, relative to model year 2021.
NHTSA estimates that over the lives of vehicles produced prior to MY 2030, the final standards would save about 60 billion gallons of gasoline and increase electricity consumption (as the percentage of electric vehicles increases over time) by about 180 terawatts (TWh).
The final standards are defined by a mathematical equation that represents a constrained linear function relating vehicle footprint to fuel economy targets for both cars and trucks.
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