Motor Vehicle Fuel Efficiency

Consumer Attitudes Toward Fuel Efficiency

In this report, the Consumer Federation of America analyzes a new public opinion survey on fuel economy standards, which it has done for over 12 years. The surveying began in 2007, just before the passage of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA). These surveys have consistently found strong support for standards, as do CFA’s two surveys since the Trump administration began to rollback and freeze the fuel economy standards. Our detailed economic analysis of fuel economy standards, including the recent National Program, as well as the entire history going back forty years and our preliminary analysis of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking give a good indication of why consumers are right to support the standards and oppose the rollback and freeze.  The rollback is bad economic policy that will harm consumers and the economy by draining consumer pocketbooks of half a trillion dollars of cost savings over the next few decades which could have been used to stimulate substantial economic growth.  The Administration should listen to the consumers, who want their next vehicle to get 40 MPG, in line with the current standard, and who believe that the automakers would sell more vehicles if they made more fuel efficient cars.