According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the fleet of cars sold in the U.S. through the first half of the year averaged 26.8 mpg. That's a new record, and it is being pushed by the rapid move from larger cars, trucks and SUVs into smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles. For reference, last year's rating stood at 26.6 miles per gallon. While these numbers can be useful for tracking the overall average mileage of new cars in the States, these are actually the CAFE numbers that the government uses for keeping tabs on the automakers. As has been widely covered, these figures aren't really the most accurate numbers available as there are provisions for automakers to improve their scores through the use of alternative fuels. Some manufacturers also carry over credits from past years when they surpassed the CAFE requirements. Still, a fuel mileage improvement is a good thing, and it's likely to only get better as fuel prices remain high enough to impact purchasing decisions.

[Source: The Detroit News]

TMI. What does that mean? Well, it usually means 'Too Much Information,' but in the case of fuel mileage, there is truly no such thing. Everybody and their brother wants to know what kind of mileage they are likely to get out of their next new car purchase, so we'll take any information we can get. With that in mind, Cars.com has gone to the trouble of calculating the mileage statistics of all the major brands sold in the United States and has sorted them by average miles per gallon. While the list doesn't actually break down each manufacturer further by model, it is still helpful in some way.

As you may be aware, CAFE mileage statistics aren't actually representative of what a given manufacturer is likely to achieve, as they are adjusted for all sorts of reasons. Therefore, Cars.com chose to go by the EPA's mileage ratings to calculate its figures. For the same reason, the impending fuel mileage requirements being proposed by the Feds aren't quite as harsh as they might seem. For instance, CAFE's 2007 rating for Honda's domestic passenger-car fleet comes in at 33.5 mpg, while Cars.com estimates a much more realistic 24.9 mpg. So, the EPA's estimations are still useful for comparing individual car models, and Cars.com's TMI rating is useful for comparing the manufacturers themselves. Remember, though... your mileage may vary.

[Source: Cars.com]

Click above for more high-res shots of the 2007 Toyota Prius Touring

The numbers for last year's combined fleet fuel efficiency for all automakers in the United States has been tallied. The winner? Um, Lotus. But, they don't really count. Too small. For manufacturers that actually offer a full line of automobiles, Toyota with 29.69 mpg just barely edged out the likes of Honda, which posted 29.49, and Hyundai with 29.37. All those Prius hybrid sales surely helped push Toyota to the top this year. Not surprisingly, the Detroit 3 didn't even come close with 25.16 from GM and 25.15 from Ford. DaimlerChrysler propped up the rear with a dismal 23.97 average figure.

Toyota has no plans to give up the mileage crown. In fact, the Japanese giant will increase capacity of its upcoming third-gen Prius sedan by an astonishing 70-percent at the Tsutsumi factory in Japan, allowing for the production of 480,000 hybrid sedans per year. For 2010, Toyota plans to bring its Mississippi plant online, which will further serve to increase capacity. We have a feeling that it'll have little trouble selling every one it manufacturers.


[Sources: NHTSA (.pdf link), Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Yamaha is not the first manufacturer to tout the fuel efficiency of its line of scooters, but it is the first to go so far as to list the estimated fuel mileage on each of its website's product pages. Scooter riders will be happy to see that Yamaha is claiming 124 miles per gallon from its Zuma, though its two-stroke engine likely emits more pollutants than a comparable four-stroke. Thankfully, both the Vino Classic and C3 use four-strokers and still do better than 100 miles per gallon. If higher speeds are a necessity for you, perhaps the Vino 125 will do with its 96 mile per gallon rating and 50+ mile per hour top-speed. Moving up the line, the futuristic Morphous and its 250cc four-stroke engine manages 56 miles per gallon and is freeway capable. Yamaha's top-of-the-line Maxiscooter, the Majesty, offers a 400cc engine which still delivers over 50 miles per gallon.

The fuel efficiency of various scooter models has been under discussion as of late. Most outlets agree that 100 miles per gallon is only really possible on 50cc machines, but their larger brothers are still capable of figures which are well beyond what the average automobile is capable of. We'd expect other manufacturers to follow Yamaha's lead in making fuel efficiency a selling-point for scooters and small-bore motorcycles as gas prices continue to climb.

[Source: Yamaha]

Perhaps this story has more to do with the proliferation of the Internet than it does about green car trends, but here we go anyway. We all know that you can check fueleconomy.gov to find out what the fuel mileage of current and past cars is or was. Anybody who carries an internet-capable cell phone in their pockets also knows that navigating sites which are not optimized for mobile browsers is rather difficult from the average phone or internet tablet without a full browser. With that in mind, the government has seen fit to introduce a new mobile version of their fuel economy site, fueleconomy.gov/m. Easy enough, right? From the mobile site you will be able to see the mileage ratings from vehicles from 1985 through today.

We think that this service should prove rather useful as a tool for checking the mileage of used cars on dealers lots that don't have window stickers on them. Whatever works, we say. Also present on the mobile site are calculations for figuring how much you'll spend on gas each year and your resultant carbon footprint. Yay, technology!

[Source: Detroit News]

Episode 18 of the Autoblog Green Podcast sees us reminiscing about the North American International Auto Show, recently passed in Detroit. We start with the reconfigured Saturn Vue Hybrid from AFS - the "extreme hybrid" claiming a narrowly defined150 mpg. AFS's claims point up the need for a new way to accurately rate mpg for hybrid and plugin powertrains. We touch on the Chrysler green trio, and Saturn's own Vue Two-Mode - one of three versions of the Vue that will have a flavor of hybrid powertrains (two mode, li-ion/phev, mild).

Everyone in Detroit had a Diesel, too, many displacing 2.2 liters and having four cylinders. We also talk abit about Ford going mainstream with their EcoBoost engine technology rather than trotting out ever larger V8s - big power doesn't always mean big cubes, and EcoBoost is more than small motors with big compressors strapped onto the exhaust manifolds. We wrap up by touching on the news that the ALMS series will see a fleet of Corvettes running cellulosic E85. The rules of the series allow lots of different technologies to run wheel to wheel, so alternative powertrains could be the next area where we see racing improving the breed. 43 minutes, and we're done, thanks for listening!

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You may have noticed that Autoblog has added a new writer to their staff. John McElroy is the host of Autoline Detroit which you may have seen on television. In his latest posting, McElroy, speaking of CAFE standards says, "This whole debate has focused on how many miles per gallon our cars get. That's the wrong approach. It does not solve the problem. All CAFE does is kill us slower. What we really need to focus on is getting the kind of fuels that will really solve the problem, not trying to force the auto industry to come out with cars that burn this poison more efficiently."

This is not the first time that this argument has come up, and it probably won't be the last. While our readership on AutoblogGreen might appreciate the cleaner and more fuel efficient cars that CAFE standards may force, what does the average automotive enthusiast think? Read through some of the comments on McElroy's post, and you might be surprised by what some are saying.

In conclusion, CAFE standards are not the best way to reduce our consumption of oil. They do, however, serve the purpose of raising the fuel mileage of our fleet of cars. So, until real game-changing technology is implemented, the consumer might just be forced to work with what we have, and the automotive manufacturers might be forced to work with the laws that they are given.

[Source: John McElroy \ Autoblog]

The Pew Campaign for Fuel Efficiency (PCFE), a "public education campaign," has released details of a bipartisan poll which was conducted by The Mellman Group (D) and Public Opinion Strategies (R). The results of the poll are not surprising when one considers how Americans feel about the high price of gasoline. Nearly 90 percent of all who responded to the survey say that they prefer the toughest new fuel economy regulations which are being considered in Washington. If you read our site regularly, you know that a bill has already been passed in the Senate which would mandate 35 miles per gallon by 2020 for all vehicles, while competing bills are being considered in the House. There are three bills which have varying numbers of co-sponsors and are not likely to be voted on until after August.

Michigan's John Dingell (D) is one of the more vocal proponents to the bill with the lowest fuel mileage requirements, and Michigan's 15th congressional district also posted the least support for the bill with the highest fuel mileage standards. But still, even in that district, 84 percent of respondents favor those toughest standards. The PCFE website breaks down the entire survey, and you can find it here. If the public can agree that they want higher fuel mileage standards, the next step would be to agree on how to achieve them, which is the a much tougher issue, and one that the automakers will likely grapple with. Whatever solution proves the winner, consumers will surely be the beneficiaries.

[Source: Pew Campaign for Fuel Efficiency]

John True, professional jazz piano player from California, has filed a class action lawsuit against American Honda Motor Co. for misleading mileage claims of the Honda Civic Hybrid. The question that this suit seems to revolve around is whether or not Honda misled consumers with inflated mileage claims. Did Honda imply that it is possible to get 49 miles per gallon in the city and 51 mpg on the highway? Is it impossible to meet those figures? Those are the questions that will be considered in the suit. Sage Marie, speaking on behalf of Honda, said that the "vast majority of Civic Hybrid customers are satisfied with the performance since it delivers consistently and substantially higher numbers than comparable non hybrid vehicles in the real world. It is possible to attain the EPA estimates, and customers do all the time."

John True was only able to average 32 miles per gallon, which is WAY below the EPA's old estimates. You may recall that the EPA has changed the way that they do their testing to better reflect what drivers are likely to achieve in real life. Another question that the suit will attempt to answer was whether Honda knew that their car would not average what the EPA tests showed. If they knew that the car was not going to get those numbers, should they base their advertising around them? Also, some have suggested that Honda and Toyota may have written the software of the vehicles to perform well in the old EPA tests. If that is true, does it seem unethical to anybody? Remember, though, that nothing of this sort has been proven.

This may very well be the first time a manufacturer has been sued over unrealistic mileage claims. If this one is successful, it would not be shocking to see more like it in the future.

UPDATE: Read AutoblogGreen's exclusive interview with John True here.

Related:

• EPA does something about unrealistic mileage figures for new autos
• Your mileage will vary. On the new MPG estimates coming in 2008

[Source: The Detroit News]

Be skeptical! Out of 93 fuel saving devices or additives were recently tested in Ann Arbor, Michigan, by the EPA, and out of those, just 10 were found to increase fuel mileage, and then only slightly. Unfortunately, 4 of those 10 also increased emissions. The results of the report are that none of the tested products met with approval from the EPA. The moral of the story is that these days, manufacturers have probably done what they can to make your mileage as high as it can be while delivering the performance that you demand. Outside engineers likely can't improve one aspect of the vehicle's performance without hindering another. The moral of the story: don't buy the hype, and don't buy their products.

So, what should you do? The source article, from the Detroit News, suggests a few tips that are likely well known to our readership. Namely, keep up with your manufacturer's maintenance schedule and slow down. It goes without saying that controlling your right foot is free.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Sometimes when I read about studies that consumers respond to which concern fuel economy, I think that people must drive around on nearly flat tires with old air filters under their hoods and the air conditioner on full blast at all times. But, maybe I'm just over-reacting a bit. I dunno, you tell me.

Anyway, yet another study regarding fuel saving tips was performed, this time by Kelley Blue Book. They found that sixty percent of respondents would change their filters at designated times while sixty-eight percent believe that they could save $200 by "performing some or all of the recommended gas-saving maintenance to their car". Does that mean that there are eight percent of respondents who believe that they could save $200 but don't care enough to change their filter? Who knows? Anyway, my suggestion to anybody who's reading this is fairly simple, and you probably don't need to hear it again... but here I go anyway. Change your oil. Change your filters. Check your tire pressure. Only use the A/C when necessary. If you do those things, you're probably better off than "the other" thirty percent from the aforementioned survey. Not that you needed a survey to tell you that!

This news came along with KBB's Editors' Top Picks for Best Fuel-Efficient Vehicles.

[Source: Kelley Blue Book]

Regardless of what you or I think, or the automakers for that matter, it appears as if the new CAFE rules will pass through the Senate. The source? Deomcratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. He said, "I met with the CEOs of the Big Three automakers last week, and here is what I told them: The debate on raising CAFE standards is over. It will happen."

It might, but the passing of the bill is not quite the slam dunk that Reid is claiming. The bill must still be debated and voted on, and as we know, this is a process that can take some time. However, it appears that the bill might have some strong backing inside the doors of the Senate. This truly is a complicated issue, of course. Most readers of this site would like there to be more fuel efficient vehicles to choose from, and they would like to see those same vehicles bought by the buying public. The question on all of our minds is simple: are new CAFE standards the best way to achieve those honorable goals? There are many intelligent people in the industry with a vested interest in seeing alternative fuels and higher fuel mileage reach new, higher levels of consumer acceptance who are not enthusiastic about the revised standards; yet others believe that the standards are attainable and should be a requirement.

More quotes from Reid and Dianne Feinstein (Democrat), as well as a press release from Reid after the break.

Feel free to sound off in the comments with your own opinions.

[Source: Hugg (thanks, Linton) and The Detroit News]

• www.drivecongress.com
• www.drivingamericasfuture.com
• www.grabdemocracybythehorns.com (password protected at this time)

What do all of the above internet sites all have in common? They are all designed to encourage consumers to contact Congress. What shall consumers say to Congress? To "Oppose Unrealistic Fuel Economy Increases," according to one of the sites. The other sites have similar goals, although Chrysler is only targeting their dealerships at this time with their "Grab Democracy by the Horns" site. Drive Congress was created by The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, an organization made up of nine manufacturers, or ten if you count Daimler separate from Chrysler already.

The sites all suggest that there are better ways to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions than focusing on better fuel economy for our automobiles. Will this sentiment be rejected in the face of record high gasoline prices, or will consumers agree that fuel economy and harmful emissions should be kept separate from one another in legislation? Perhaps you should do what they are suggesting and contact Congress. Let them know what you think, one way or the other.

[Source: Detroit News]

Alright, so we covered the raising gas prices the other day, and I am sure that you probably noticed them on your own the last time you filled-up. I did... $3.05 a gallon was the cheapest 87 octane in Toledo that I happened to run across yesterday.

Last week, we ran a little story about a consumer who is wishing to purchase his next car, be it new or used, and wants something with some sense of style at a good price, while offering the highest fuel mileage possible. He lamented the fact that there weren't too many choices that he liked on the market new. So, how about used cars? If that is the direction you would like to go and want to get the greenest option you can, there is a list from Carmax after the break to help you along on the road to new-to-you car-driving greener pleasure!

Find the contents of the press release after the break.

[Source: Carmax]

You remember when we let you in on the news that for 2008 the EPA was revising their testing procedures to more accurately reflect the type of gas mileage that consumers are likely to get on their own, right? This change leads the numbers that a car is pegged with by the EPA to go down, which is probably a good thing, as the new numbers are most likely more accurate. And, now for the interesting part. I'm sure that you are also familiar with the so called "gas guzzler" status that many cars are assigned when their numbers fall too low. This has been in effect since 1991, and the way in which the numbers are calculated is not being changed. What does that mean? It means that some vehicles will qualify as "gas guzzlers" which did not previously qualify, according to this article. That article also gives a few examples, which I will relay here. The 6 Speed Nissan 350Z, previously not a "gas guzzler", is now, to the tune of a $1,300 charge. The Corvette Z06, already a "gas guzzler" fares even worse, as it's fine jumps from $1,300 under the old estimates to $2,100 under the new revised estimates. Note that the charges are assigned to the manufacturer of the car, which, in many cases passes that charge down to the consumer. Check the window sticker of your new 2008 vehicle to be sure what, if anything, you are being charged.

Interested in reading more? Here is a rundown of the EPA testing procedures. One might have assumed that the "gas guzzler" tax had been revised when the mileage estimates were revised, but one might have also been wrong. Why should they be, you might ask... well, the mileage of any given vehicle is not actually changing, only the way the EPA calculates it. So, the vehicle in question has not actually changed at all. So, there are two ways to look at this. One, the "gas guzzler" tax should go up, because we want to accurately reflect what is happening in the real world. Or, two, it is unfair to the manufacturers of the car who are being forced to hit a "moving target" after all of the engineering for the vehicle has already been done. Proof that manufacturers care can be found if you remember the infamous "skip shift" of the 90's 6 speed GM performance cars such as the Camaro and Firebird.

Feel free to read over the material on the EPA's site, and see if you are able to discern something different than what is being questioned here. Also, feel free to check the list of vehicles that have been assigned the "gas guzzler" tax, and note that there are no trucks, SUVs or vans, which do not qualify for the taxes of passenger cars.

Related:

• EPA does something about unrealistic mileage figures for new autos

[Source: Dubspeed Driven]