The Environmental Protection Agency says all carmakers passed the tougher 2014 standards for greenhouse gas emissions, marking the third straight year auto manufacturers have met those standards.
According to the EPA, automakers are actually over-complying with greenhouse gas emissions standards by 13 grams of carbon dioxide per mile.
“For the third year in a row, manufacturers have exceeded the [greenhouse gas] emissions standards by a wide margin,” said Christopher Grundler, director of the EPA’s Office of Air Quality and Transportation. “It’s clear that our standards are working, spurring technology and innovation, and we are on track to achieve significant greenhouse gas reductions.”
The EPA estimates the tougher greenhouse gas emissions standards reduced emissions by 60 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of the carbon dioxide emissions from 8 million homes annually.
It’s estimated the EPA emissions standards will save drivers $8,000 annually on fuel costs during their lifetime and save a cumulative $1.7 trillion. The EPA also expects the standards to reduce fuel use by 12 billion barrels of oil and reduce gasoline emissions by 6 billion metric tons.
While doing this, carmakers have managed to maintain fuel economy at the highest level recorded, the EPA said.
Fuel economy for the 2014 model year remains at 24.3 miles per gallon. For trucks, the 2014 model year saw fuel economy reach a record high of 20.4 miles per gallon. Fuel economy has increased 26 percent, or five miles per gallon, during the last 10 years.
