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FUEL ECONOMY

VEHICLES in USA

The average fuel economy of vehicles sold in the United States has been steadily improving since 1982.

Model year 2012 vehicles achieved an all-time high fuel economy of 23.6 miles per gallon (mpg).

This represents a 1.2 mpg increase over the 2011 model year, making it the second largest annual increase in the last 30 years.

Fuel economy has now increased in seven of the last eight years.

Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE)

First enacted by Congress in 1975, the purpose of CAFE is to reduce energy consumption by increasing the fuel economy of cars and light trucks.

NHTSA has recently set standards to increase CAFE levels rapidly over the next several years, which will improve our nation's energy security and save consumers money at the pump.

For more information please see: http://www.nhtsa.gov/fuel-economy

This site contains an immense amount of information about the CAFE program including a CAFE overview, rulemaking actions, fleet characteristics data, compliance activities, summaries of manufacturers' fuel economy performances since 1978, and related studies.

YEAR Total Vehicles*
Registered and in Use		 New-vehicle
Production		 Light Vehicles in Operation ** Vehicle
Weight
(lbs.)		 Engine
(HP)		 Average MPG
Passenger Vehicles		 Average MPG
Light Trucks		 Average MPG
Light Vehicles		 Car
Production		 Truck
Production
1900 8,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1901 15,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1902 23,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1903 33,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1904 55,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1905 79,000 N/A 77,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1906 108,000 N/A 106,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1907 143,000 N/A 140,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1908 198,000 N/A 194,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1909 312,000 N/A 306,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1910 469,000 N/A 458,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1911 640,000 N/A 619,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1912 944,000 N/A 902,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1913 1,258,000 N/A 1,190,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1914 1,763,000 N/A 1,664,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1915 2,491,000 N/A 2,332,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1916 3,618,000 N/A 3,368,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1917 5,119,000 N/A 4,727,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1918 6,160,000 N/A 5,555,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1919 7,577,000 N/A 6,679,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1920 9,239,000 N/A 8,132,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1921 10,494,000 N/A 9,212,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1922 12,274,000 N/A 10,704,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1923 15,102,000 N/A 13,253,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1924 17,613,000 N/A 15,436,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1925 20,069,000 N/A 17,481,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1926 22,200,000 N/A 19,268,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1927 23,303,000 N/A 20,193,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1928 24,689,000 N/A 21,362,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1929 26,705,000 N/A 23,121,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1930 26,750,000 N/A 23,035,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1931 26,094,000 2,231,000 22,396,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1932 24,391,000 N/A 20,901,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1933 24,159,000 1,787,000 20,657,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1934 25,262,000 N/A 21,545,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1935 26,546,000 3,419,000 22,568,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1936 28,507,000 N/A 24,183,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1937 30,059,000 4,153,000 25,467,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1938 29,814,000 N/A 25,250,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1939 31,010,000 3,245,000 26,226,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1940 32,453,000 N/A 27,466,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1941 34,894,000 4,665,000 29,624,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1942 33,004,000 N/A 27,973,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1943 30,888,000 N/A 26,009,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1944 30,479,000 N/A 25,566,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1945 31,035,000 N/A 25,797,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1946 34,373,000 N/A 28,217,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1947 37,841,000 N/A 30,849,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1948 41,086,000 N/A 33,355,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1949 44,690,000 N/A 36,458,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1950 49,162,000 N/A 40,339,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1951 51,913,000 6,275,000 42,688,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1952 53,262,000 N/A 43,823,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1953 56,217,000 6,773,000 46,429,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1954 58,505,000 N/A 48,468,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1955 62,689,000 8,481,000 52,145,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1956 65,148,000 N/A 54,211,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1957 67,125,000 6,927,000 55,918,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1958 68,297,000 N/A 56,891,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1959 71,354,000 7,065,000 59,454,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1960 73,858,000 N/A 61,671,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1961 75,961,000 6,872,000 63,421,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1962 79,150,000 N/A 66,085,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1963 82,697,000 8,990,000 69,038,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1964 86,313,000 9,494,000 71,995,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1965 90,358,000 10,885,000 75,258,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1966 93,950,000 10,664,000 78,125,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1967 96,906,000 9,882,000 80,399,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1968 100,898,000 11,487,000 83,605,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1969 105,096,000 11,552,000 86,858,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1970 108,418,000 10,211,000 89,244,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1971 112,986,000 12,338,000 92,718,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1972 118,797,000 13,569,000 97,082,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1973 125,654,000 14,572,000 101,985,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1974 129,934,000 11,541,000 104,856,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
1975 132,949,000 10,224,000 106,706,000 4060 137 N/A N/A 13.1 80.7% 19.3%
1976 138,543,000 12,334,000 110,189,000 4079 135 N/A N/A 14.2 78.9% 21.1%
1977 142,093,000 14,123,000 112,288,000 3982 136 N/A N/A 15.1 80.1% 19.9%
1978 148,415,000 14,448,000 116,573,000 3715 129 18.0 N/A 15.8 77.5% 22.5%
1979 151,869,000 13,882,000 118,429,000 3655 124 19.0 17.2/15.8 15.9 77.9% 22.1%
1980 155,796,000 11,306,613 121,601,000 3228 104 20.0 16.0/14.0 19.2 83.5% 16.5%
1981 158,286,000 10,554,980 123,098,000 3202 102 22.0 16.7/15.0 20.5 82.8% 17.2%
1982 159,643,000 9,732,362 123,702,000 3202 103 24.0 17.5 21.1 80.5% 19.5%
1983 163,749,000 10,302,516 126,444,000 3257 107 26.0 19.0 21.0 78.0% 22.0%
1984 166,249,000 14,020,141 128,158,000 3262 109 27.0 20.0 21.0 76.5% 23.5%
1985 171,689,000 14,460,291 127,885,000 3271 114 27.5 19.5 21.3 75.2% 24.8%
1986 175,700,000 15,365,021 130,004,000 3238 114 27.5 20.0 21.8 72.1% 27.9%
1987 178,910,000 14,865,946 131,482,000 3221 118 27.5 20.5 22.0 72.8% 27.2%
1988 184,393,000 15,295,544 133,836,000 3283 123 27.5 20.5 21.9 70.9% 29.1%
1989 187,356,000 14,453,261 134,559,000 3351 129 27.5 20.5 21.4 70.1% 29.9%
1990 188,798,000 12,615,378 133,700,000 3426 135 27.5 20.5 21.2 70.4% 29.6%
1991 181,505,929 12,573,604 128,300,000 3410 138 27.5 20.5 21.3 69.6% 30.4%
1992 181,519,150 12,172,078 126,581,000 3512 145 27.5 20.5 20.8 68.6% 31.4%
1993 186,315,464 13,211,549 127,327,000 3519 147 27.5 20.5 20.9 67.6% 32.4%
1994 188,713,997 14,125,042 127,883,000 3603 152 27.5 20.5 20.4 61.9% 38.1%
1995 193,440,393 15,145,699 128,387,000 3613 158 27.5 20.6 20.5 63.5% 36.5%
1996 198,293,459 13,144,707 129,728,000 3659 164 27.5 20.7 20.4 62.2% 37.8%
1997 201,070,397 14,458,529 129,749,000 3727 169 27.5 20.7 20.2 60.1% 39.9%
1998 205,042,639 14,456,540 131,839,000 3744 171 27.5 20.7 20.1 58.3% 41.7%
1999 209,509,161 15,215,124 N/A 3835 179 27.5 20.7 19.7 58.3% 41.7%
2000 213,299,313 16,571,911 205,279,196 3821 181 27.5 20.7 19.8 58.8% 41.2%
2001 216,682,936 15,605,343 209,199,497 3879 187 27.5 20.7 19.6 58.6% 41.4%
2002 221,027,121 16,115,934 213,540,009 3951 195 27.5 20.7 19.5 55.3% 44.7%
2003 225,882,103 15,773,662 218,375,207 3999 199 27.5 20.7 19.6 53.9% 46.1%
2004 232,167,136 15,709,471 224,982,194 4111 211 27.5 20.7 19.3 52.0% 48.0%
2005 239,384,168 15,892,680 231,986,557 4059 209 27.5 21.0 19.9 55.6% 44.4%
2006 244,642,610 15,104,357 237,084,889 4067 213 27.5 21.6 20.1 57.9% 42.1%
2007 248,700,997 15,276,603 240,912,739 4093 217 27.5 22.2 20.6 58.9% 41.1%
2008 249,812,723 13,898,946 242,081,704 4085 219 27.5 22.5 21.0 59.3% 40.7%
2009 248,972,046 9,315,747 241,509,108 3914 208 27.5 23.1 22.4 67.0% 33.0%
2010 248,231,351 11,110,877 240,012,476 4002 214 27.5 23.5 22.6 62.7% 37.3%
2011 248,931,633 12,003,406 240,504,646 4127 230 30.2 24.1 22.4 57.8% 42.2%
2012 251,497,087 13,438,936 248,963,800 3977 222 23.6 64.4% 35.6%
2013 252,714,696     4041 230 28.5   24.0 64.4% 35.6%
2014     29.4 21.0 25.3

Note:

Data in italics are estimates
Data with asterisk (*) and in italics are estimates
N/A = Not Available

Beginning 1985, personal passenger vans, passenger minivans and utility-type vehicles were no longer included in automobiles but were counted as trucks.
Since 2000, all personal use vehicles are counted as automobiles.

Heading Legend:
     * = Total of all vehicles Registered in USA (Includes Motorcycles, Busses and Heavy Trucks [Class 4 to 8])
   ** = Total of Light Vehicles (Cars, SUV, CUV, Light Trucks [Class 1 to 3]) in Operation


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