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1B90122 09-22-03
1994 427.5 - 20.5
1995 427.5 - 20.6
1996 427.5 - 20.7
1997 427.5 - 20.7
1998 427.5 - 20.7
1999 427.5 - 20.7
2000 427.5 - 20.7
2001 427.5 - 20.7
2002 427.5 - 20.7
2003 427.5 - 20.7
2004 427.5 - - 20.7
2005 427.5 - - 21.0
2006 427.5 - - 21.6
2007 427.5 - - 22.2
'Standards for MY1979 light trucks were established for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 6,000
pounds or less. Standards for MY1980 and beyond are for light trucks with a GVWR of 8,500 pounds or less.
'For MY1979, light truck manufacturers could comply separately with standards for four-wheel drive, general utility
vehicles and all other light trucks, or combine their trucks into a single fleet and comply with the standard of 17.2
mpg.
'For MYs 1982-1991, manufacturers could comply with the two-wheel and four-wheel drive standards or could combine
all light trucks and comply with the combined standard.
'Established by Congress in Title V of the Act.
5A manufacturer whose light truck fleet was powered exclusively by basic engines which were not also used in passenger
cars could meet standards of 14 mpg and 14.5 mpg in MYs 1980 and 1981, respectively.
'Revised in June 1979 from 18.0 mpg.
'Revised in October 1984 from 21.6 mpg for two-wheel drive, 19.0 mpg for four-wheel drive, and 21.0 mpg for combined.
'Revised in October 1985 from 27.5 mpg.
9Revised in October 1986 from 27.5 mpg.
'ORevised in September 1988 from 27.5 mpg.
Source: Automotive Fuel Economy Program, Annual Update, Calendar Year 2001, appearing in full at:
[http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/studies/fuelecon/index.html#TOC]; and U.S. Department of Transportation.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Light Truck Average Fuel Economy Standard, Model Year 2004. Final
Rule. [http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/rulings/Cafe/LightTruck/NPRM-final.htm]
Past Role of CAFE Standards. The effectiveness of the CAFE standards
themselves has been controversial. Since 19'74, domestic new car fuel economy has roughly
doubled; the fuel economy of imports has increased by roughly one-third. Some argue that
these improvements would have happened as a consequence of rising oil prices during the
1970~s and 1980s. Some studies suggest that the majority of the gains in passenger car fuel
economy during the 1970~s and 1980s were technical achievements, rather than the
consequence of consumers' favoring smaller cars. Between 19'76 and 1989, roughly 70% of
the improvement in fuel economy was the result of weight reduction, improvements in
transmissions and aerodynamics, wider use of front-wheel drive, and use of fuel-injection.
The fact that overall passenger car fleet fuel economy remained comparatively flat during a
period of declining real prices for gasoline also suggested that the CAFE regulations have
contributed to placing some sort of floor under new-car fuel economy.
General criticisms of raising the CAFE standards have been that, owing to the
significant lead times manufacturers need to change model lines and because of the time
needed for the vehicle fleet to turn over, increasing CAFE is a slow and inefficient means of
achieving reductions in fuel consumption. Further, it is argued that the standards risk
CRS-5