EPA reports that model year 2010 had lowest CO2 emissions and highest fuel economy since 1975

The latest EPA report Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 Through 2011 summarizes trends in CO₂ emissions and fuel economy for gasoline- and diesel-fueled personal vehicles sold in the United States from model years (MY) 1975 through 2011.

Personal vehicles inlude cars, light-duty trucks (sport utility vehicles, minivans, vans, and pickup trucks with gross vehicle weight ratings up to 8500 pounds), or, beginning in MY 2011, medium-duty passenger vehicles (sport utility vehicles or passenger vans with gross vehicle weight ratings between 8500 and 10,000 pounds).

The data in this report cover MY 1975-2011. Except when noted, CO₂ emissions and fuel economy values in this report have been adjusted to reflect "real world" consumer performance and therefore are not comparable to CO2 emissions and fuel economy standards. Data for MY 2010 are final, but data for MY 2011 are preliminary.

Most small, 2 wheel drive SUVs have been reclassified from trucks to cars for the entire MY 1975-2011 database. This reflects a regulatory change made by the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards beginning in MY 2011.  For MY 2010, nearly 1.1 million vehicles are classified as cars that in previous years would have been classified as trucks.

Final MY 2010 data are based on formal end-of-year CAFE reports submitted by automakers to EPA and will not change. The preliminary MY 2011 data in this report are based on confidential pre-model year production volume projections provided to EPA by automakers.

Conclusions

MY 2010 had the lowest CO₂ emission rate and highest fuel economy since the database began in 1975.
MY 2010 adjusted composite CO₂ emissions were 394 g/mi, a record low for the post-1975 database and a 3 g/mi decrease relative to MY 2009. MY 2010 adjusted composite fuel economy was 22.6 mpg, an all-time high since the database began in 1975, and 0.2 mpg higher than in MY 2009. Preliminary MY 2011 values are 391 g/mi CO₂ emissions and 22.8 mpg fuel economy, reflecting slight improvements over MY 2010.