NHTSA raises fuel economy standards for light trucks

Motor,  May 2003  by Nash, Tom

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will increase corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for light trucks by 1.5 mpg over the next three years, in an effort to save more than 3.6 billion gallons of gas over the lifetime of the trucks affected and to lessen emissions.

Under the new rule, the current standard of 20.7 mpg will increase to 21.0 mpg for model year 2005, 21.6 mpg for 2006s and 22.2 mpg for 2007 vehicles.

"This represents the first increase since model year 1996 and is the greatest increase in fuel economy standards in the last 20 years," said NHTSA Administrator Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D. CAFE standards had been frozen by Congress for six years through a provision in the Dept. of Transportation's annual appropriations acts.

Copyright Hearst Business Publishing May 2003
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