FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 11, 2005
CONTACT: Brian O'Malley, 202-675-6279


EPA Fuel Economy Data Shows Automakers Falling Behind, Bush Administration Failing to Act


WASHINGTON, DC - The Environmental Protection Agency has posted the data detailing the fuel economy of all model year 2006 vehicles for its upcoming Fuel Economy Guide, which it plans to release later this week.  This data reveals that despite high gas prices, automakers are still failing to offer consumers a wide range of vehicles that go farther on a gallon of gas.

"The biggest single step to saving money at the gas pump, curbing global warming, and cutting America’s oil dependence is to make our cars, SUVs and other trucks go farther on a gallon of gas," said Dan Becker, Director of the Sierra Club’s Global Warming program.  "The EPA's new data shows that automakers are failing to help consumers deal with high gas prices by failing to put existing fuel-saving technology in most of their vehicles."

This year’s data shows that while the most fuel efficient vehicles are
continuing to improve, the overall fleet fuel economy is not.  This
contradicts the recent advertising blitz from automakers - including GM,
Ford, and Toyota - promoting the alleged high fuel economy of their
vehicles.  For instance, a recent General Motors "Only GM" print and TV ad states that the company has 19 vehicles that get 30 miles per gallon (mpg) or more. Misleadingly, GM is referring to the higher "highway" rating for its vehicles.  As EPA's new data shows, only one of GM's touted cars gets over 30 mpg combined city and highway mileage, which is how vehicles are rated and reflects how most Americans actually drive.

The technology exists today to make all new vehicles average 40 miles per gallon fleet-wide within ten years.  Taking this step would save the
average driver $4,000 at the gas pump over the lifetime of their vehicle
and save the United States more oil than we currently import from the
entire Persian Gulf and could ever take out of the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge, combined.  The Sierra Club is urging Americans to learn about the benefits of better fuel economy through its Hybrid Evolution campaign - www.iwillevolve.org.

"Automakers shouldn’t try to fool consumers by pretending their vehicles get good fuel economy," continued Becker.  "They should put gas saving technology into their cars so that they actually get good fuel economy."

Not only has the Bush administration’s failed to raise fuel economy
standards, but it recently proposed sweeping structural changes that could weaken the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program.  The administration’s proposal creates new loopholes that encourage automakers to further erode the fuel economy of American vehicles.  In addition, last week the House of Representatives passed an energy bill - the inaptly named "Gasoline for America's Security Act of 2005" - that failed to include any improvement in fuel economy standards.

"Automakers aren't using gas-saving technology and our leaders aren't
requiring them to do so," said Becker.  "Our leaders must share the blame for high gas costs with automakers because both the Bush Administration and House of Representatives have failed to raise mile per gallon standards substantially."

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