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DETROIT — A brand new authorities report says fuel mileage for brand spanking new automobiles dropped and air pollution elevated in mannequin 12 months 2019 for the primary time in 5 years.
The mileage lower comes as Americans proceed to purchase SUVs and vans, and shift away from extra environment friendly automobiles.
The Environmental Protection Agency says the modifications present that few automakers may meet what it known as unrealistic emissions and mileage requirements set by the Obama administration via the 2020 mannequin 12 months.
But environmental teams say that automakers used loopholes and stopped advertising fuel-efficient vehicles and electrical automobiles figuring out that the Trump administration was about to roll again mileage and air pollution requirements.
The EPA report launched Wednesday says fuel mileage fell 0.2 miles per gallon for mannequin 12 months 2019, whereas greenhouse fuel emissions rose by 3 grams per mile traveled, in contrast with 2018 figures. Mileage fell and air pollution elevated for the primary time since 2014.
Mileage dropped to 24.9 miles per gallon whereas greenhouse fuel emissions rose to 356 grams per mile, the report mentioned.
To adjust to the Obama-era requirements, which the Trump administration rolled again beginning with the 2021 mannequin 12 months, 11 of 14 main automakers needed to depend on credit from earlier years or these bought from corporations with extra zero emissions automobiles, the EPA mentioned.
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler mentioned in a ready assertion Wednesday that the company has set sensible requirements “that will reduce emissions as well as vehicle costs and maintain consumer choice going forward.”
But environmental teams mentioned the falling mileage and rising air pollution are the outgrowth of Trump’s rollbacks.
“Even before President Trump slammed on the brakes when he rolled back mileage-and-emissions standards, the EPA report shows, the auto companies had failed to cut pollution and improve fuel efficiency,” mentioned Dan Becker, director of the Safe Climate Transport Campaign on the Center for Biological Diversity.
Jeff Alson, a former EPA engineer, mentioned mileage worsened as a result of shoppers are transferring towards larger SUVs and vans. But the Obama-era requirements pressured the business to make these automobiles extra environment friendly.
“If we hadn’t had the Obama standards … then these numbers would all be much worse,” Alson mentioned. “We would be going backward every year, not just this year.”
In calendar 12 months 2019, SUVs and vans accounted for almost 72% of U.S. new automobile gross sales. That rose to nearly 76% in 2020, based on Autodata Corp. In 2012, vans and SUVs had been solely 49% of gross sales.
Generally, vehicles are extra environment friendly than vans and SUVs as a result of they sit decrease and are extra aerodynamic. But automakers say U.S. shoppers like higher-sitting SUVs and vans, particularly when gasoline costs stay low.
Of the 14 main automakers, solely Tesla, Honda and Subaru met emissions requirements for the 2019 mannequin 12 months, the EPA report acknowledged. Detroit automakers Fiat Chrysler, Ford and General Motors emitted probably the most air pollution, largely as a result of they promote extra full-size pickup vans and SUVs than different producers.
Environmental teams are hoping that President-elect Joe Biden will push for stronger mileage necessities and air pollution limits after he takes workplace Jan. 20. Biden has mentioned preventing local weather change, which is attributable to burning fossil fuels, is a prime precedence.
They say sturdy measures are wanted to combat world warming. “Given the urgency of the climate crisis, we cannot allow this to continue,” mentioned Luke Tonachel, director of fresh automobiles for the Natural Resources Defense Council. “The Biden administration will need to move quickly to reimpose meaningful tailpipe pollution standards and put us on the road to 100% pollution-free vehicles.”
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