The new CAFE standards require a new vehicle fleet-wide 34.1 mpg by 2016. By 2012 these requirements are expected to engender new vehicle economy of 33 mpg for cars and 25 mpg for trucks; up to 38 mpg cars and 29 mpg for trucks by 2016. So some further improvement will happen regardless. (This might be enough to finally get me to trade in my little 28 mpg 1985 truck.) But indeed another push is needed for the really significant improvements that could happen even with current technology if Americans were willing to drive lighter vehicles that would go up hills and on-ramps at the vehicle's pace, not the driver's. |