[guionM]

The average fuel economy of cars and light trucks increased to a record 24.1 mpg in the 2013 model year, though the pace of improvement slowed compared with the two previous years, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s annual Fuel Economy Trends report released today

http://www.autonews.com/article/201...-24-1-mpg-epa-says?cciid=email-autonews-blast

The boom in truck sales has flatlined GM, and the fact that Chrysler's sales of Ram trucks have exploded compared to far more modest increases in their car sales puts Chrysler at the bottom.

3 things to keep in mind:

1. CAFE numbers have nothing to do with what's on the window sticker. CAFE mpg is higher
2. CAFE is based on sales volume of all vehicles (the more high mileage cars you sell, the more low mileage vehicles you ca sell and still make the numbers)
3. That 54mpg CAFE standard will be reviewed for feasibility in a couple of years, and depending on the political pressures versus reality that standard will either be suspended, extended (moving kicking the goal farther into the future), or yet another fanciful way of computing the numbers will be created to game the system. Nobody wants to see the auto industry crash and burn, regardless as to political party or position.

 

[Dr.Show-Me]

Congress created the CAFE mess and can fix it by freezing the standards or eliminating them.
The laws were passed so that Congress wouldn't have to vote for higher gas taxes, which would have caused them to be voted out of office. Cowardice is its own reward!

 

[NHRATA01]

Congress created the CAFE mess and can fix it by freezing the standards or eliminating them.
The laws were passed so that Congress wouldn't have to vote for higher gas taxes, which would have caused them to be voted out of office. Cowardice is its own reward!

This. Along the lines of what Maximum Bob said, CAFE is like trying to get people to lose weight by mandating that stores sell only clothes sized in Medium. If you want to reduce the consumption and encourage conservation, you tax the fuel.