62 mpg standard could save US drivers $thousands

Just in time for July 4 holiday travelers, the Pew Clean Energy Program has launched a video to raise awareness of the benefits of increasing the fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks to as high as 60 miles per gallon (MPG) by 2025.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) are expected to release a proposed joint rule by Sept. 30, 2011, that will elevate fuel efficiency fleetwide to a level between 47 and 62 miles per gallon for cars and light trucks in model years 2017-2025.

“President Obama has pledged to reduce petroleum imports by a third,” said Phyllis Cuttino, director of the Pew Clean Energy Program. “His administration can make real progress toward that goal by significantly increasing fuel efficiency for cars and light trucks.”

With a 62 MPG standard, vehicle owners in the US could see an average net savings of $6,475 over the lifetime of the car, according to an EPA-DOT analysis. The change would also reduce the nation’s oil consumption by 1.3 billion barrels of oil.