54.5 MPG - A Standard that Works for America

The new clean car standards Washington at its best. Working to move America forward. Republicans, Democrats, automakers, labor and environmental groups support the latest increase of 54.5 mpg by 2025 because it redirects hard-earned cash away from the gas pump and back into your wallet.

When combined with the first round finalized in 2010, these new standards will be the biggest action this country has ever taken to cut oil dependency and carbon pollution. Only the original fuel economy law in 1975 (“The Energy Policy and Conservation Act”) comes close.

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By 2030, it will cut imported oil by a third and reduce carbon pollution by the equivalent of 85 million cars.

Less money on oil means more jobs for the U.S.  By reducing fuel bills by $1.7 trillion and sending less of our energy dollars overseas, the standards will create 570,000 jobs across the economy by 2030.

First Round of Clean Car Standards Already Working

The first round of the Obama clean car standards are already in place starting this year and will raise standards to the equivalent of 35.5 mpg by 2016.  Not only has have the current standards met, but they have exceeded, expectations when it comes to saving drivers money, driving job growth, and reducing the amount of oil we burn.

Consumers, who rate fuel efficiency as the #1 attribute, now have more gas sipping models to choose from than ever before. Since 2009 when the agreement was announced for the first round of clean car standards, the number of high volume, fuel-efficient vehicle models has doubled, from 28 to 60 today.

With auto makers finally making the fuel efficient models consumer demand, it should come as no surprise that the first six months of 2012 has sent a record for the highest fuel efficiency for the new passenger vehicle fleet in the U.S.

As a result, the average fuel economy for model year 2012 of 28.9 mpg is exceeding regulators prediction for this year of 28.7 mpg.

In turn, consumer demand for, and investments in, fuel efficiency are providing a large boost to the auto industry’s recovery.  The industry has added 236,000 jobs since the industry hit its low point in June of 2009 and has recovered faster than the economy as a whole.

For example in the nation’s largest auto state, Michigan, half of the jobs added since June 2009 are tied to the resurgence of auto industry, including the manufacturing of fuel-efficient components.

The few remaining opponents have the unenviable task of explaining why they stand for higher fuel bills, more oil dependency and more pollution.

54.5 mpg works for drivers, workers and a healthier environment.