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 << Vehicles & Equipment

Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE)
First enacted by Congress in 1975, the purpose of CAFE is to reduce energy consumption by increasing the fuel economy of cars and light trucks. Regulating CAFE is the responsibility of NHTSA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). NHTSA sets fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks sold in the U.S.; EPA calculates the average fuel economy for each manufacturer. This site contains an immense amount of information about the CAFE program, including a program overview, related rulemaking activities, research, fleet characteristics and summaries of manufacturers’ fuel economy performance since 1978.
feature arrow icon Automotive Fuel Economy: Title 49 U.S. Code, Chapter 329
Joint Rulemaking to Establish Vehicle CAFE and GHG Emissions Standards
There is a critically important need for our country to address global climate change and to reduce oil consumption. In this context, for Model Years 2012-2016, DOT and EPA are currently working in coordination to propose standards for control of fuel economy (CAFE) and emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), respectively.
feature arrow icon Feb. 23, 2010: Final Environmental Impact Statement (With Appendices A through G)
feature arrow icon Fuel economy (CAFE) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission proposal
feature arrow icon CAFE and GHG emission proposal fact sheet
feature arrow icon Preliminary Regulatory Impact Analysis
feature arrow icon Draft joint technical support document
feature arrow icon Draft Environmental Impact Statement (with Appendices A through E)
feature arrow icon NHTSA notice of DEIS availability and public hearing
feature arrow icon Public hearing on the CAFE DEIS on October 30, 2009
Average Fuel Economy Standards, Passenger Cars and Light Trucks, Model Year 2011
NHTSA estimates that the MY 2011 standards will raise the industry-wide combined average to 27.3 mpg, save 887 million gallons of fuel over the lifetime of the MY 2011 cars and light trucks, and reduce CO2 emissions by 8.3 million metric tons during that period.
feature arrow icon Final Rule
feature arrow icon Final Regulatory Impact Analysis
CAFE Request for Product Plan Info for Passenger Cars and Trucks through MY 2020
The purpose of this request for comments is to acquire new and updated information regarding vehicle manufacturers’ future product plans to assist the agency in assessing what corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards should be established for model years 2012 through 2016 passenger cars and light trucks. The establishment of those standards is required by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended by the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007, P.L. 110-140.
feature arrow icon Request for Product Plan Information
Average Fuel Economy Standards, Passenger Cars and Light Trucks, MY 2011-2015
Proposes substantial increases in the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for passenger cars and light trucks that would enhance energy security by improving fuel economy. Since the carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from the tailpipes of new motor vehicles is the natural by-product of the combustion of fuel, the increased standards would also address climate change by reducing tailpipe emissions of CO2. Those emissions represent 97 percent of the total greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles. Implementation of the new standards would dramatically add to the billions of barrels of fuel already saved since the beginning of the CAFE program in 1975.
feature arrow icon Final Environmental Impact Statement (Download as a Full PDF or By Chapters)
feature arrow icon NEPA Notice of Intent -- as issued March 21, 2008
feature arrow icon NHTSA Public Hearing on the CAFE DEIS
feature arrow icon Draft Environmental Impact Statement (very large .pdf)
feature arrow icon Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Appendix A
feature arrow icon Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Appendix B
feature arrow icon Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Appendix C
feature arrow icon DOT Secretary Peters Announces Proposal
feature arrow icon Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (very large .pdf)
feature arrow icon Preliminary Regulatory Impact Analysis (very large .pdf)
feature arrow icon Request for Product Plan Information
feature arrow icon Supplemental Scoping Notice
CAFE Request for Product Plan Info for Passenger Cars and Trucks through MY 2017
The purpose of this request for comments is to acquire new and updated information regarding vehicle manufacturers’ future product plans to aid in implementing the President’s plan for reforming and increasing corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for passenger cars and further increasing the already reformed light truck standards. The agency is seeking information in anticipation of obtaining statutory authority to reform the passenger car CAFE program and to set standards under that structure for MY 2010 – 2017 passenger cars. The agency is also seeking this information in anticipation of setting standards for MY 2012-2017 light trucks.
feature arrow icon Corporate Average Fuel Economy - Request for Product Plan Information for Model Year 2007-2017 Passenger Cars and MY 2010-2017 Light Trucks
Light Truck Fuel Economy Standard Rulemaking (Model Years 2008-2011)
This final rule reforms the structure of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program for light trucks and establishes higher CAFE standards for model year (MY) 2008-2011 light trucks. Manufacturers may comply with CAFE standards established under the reformed structure (Reformed CAFE) or with standards established in the traditional way (Unreformed CAFE) during a transition period of MYs 2008-2010. In MY 2011, all manufacturers will be required to comply with a Reformed CAFE standard. Under Reformed CAFE, fuel economy standards are restructured so that they are based on a measure of vehicle size called "footprint," the product of multiplying a vehicle's wheelbase by its track width. A target level of fuel economy is established for each increment in footprint. Smaller footprint light trucks have higher targets and larger ones, lower targets.
feature arrow icon New Light Truck Economy Standards to Save 10.7 Billion Gallons of Fuel
feature arrow icon Remarks by Secretary Mineta at Announcement
feature arrow icon Final Rule (large .pdf file, may take time to open)
feature arrow icon Final Environmental Assessment
feature arrow icon Final Regulatory Impact Analysis
Summary of Fuel Economy Performance
Fleet fuel economy performances, by manufacturers, since 1978, including both imported and domestic passenger cars and light trucks. Also available are the overall fleet fuel economy performance and sales volume data.
feature arrow icon Summary of Fuel Economy Performance, Dec. 2009
feature arrow icon Summary of Fuel Economy Performance, March 2009
feature arrow icon Summary of CAFE Fines (Updated Jan. 2009)
feature arrow icon Flexible Fuel Credits (2003-2006)
feature arrow icon New Passenger Car Fleet Characteristics
feature arrow icon Domestic Passenger Car Fleet Characteristics
feature arrow icon Imported Passenger Car
feature arrow icon Light Truck
feature arrow icon 2WD Light Truck
feature arrow icon 4WD Light Truck
feature arrow icon Asian Imported Car
feature arrow icon European Imported Car
feature arrow icon Historical Passenger Car
Automotive Fuel Economy Program Reports
These annual reports summarize the fuel economy performance of the current vehicle fleet and highlights the activities of NHTSA during the calendar year. Reports also include a section summarizing rulemaking activities.
feature arrow icon 2004 Automotive Fuel Economy Program
feature arrow icon 2003 Automotive Fuel Economy Program
feature arrow icon 2002 Automotive Fuel Economy Program
feature arrow icon 2001 Automotive Fuel Economy Program
feature arrow icon 2000 Automotive Fuel Economy Program
feature arrow icon 1999 Automotive Fuel Economy Program
feature arrow icon 1997 Automotive Fuel Economy Program
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