Federal fuel economy standards in the U.S. require automakers to increase the average fuel efficiency and reduce harmful emissions of their passenger vehicle fleets, which is why many of them have started building alternative fuel vehicles, such as plug-in hybrids.
Thanks to federal fuel economy and emissions mandates, the average fuel efficiency of new vehicles sold in the U.S. has been improved in recent years. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its latest Fuel Economy Trends and Greenhouse Gas Manufacturer Performance reports, which underline the fact that automakers have been very successful in meeting greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency standards last year.
“For the third year in a row, manufacturers have exceeded the GHG emissions standards by a wide margin,” said EPA’s director of the Office of Air Quality and Transportation, Christopher Grundler. “It’s clear that our standards are working, spurring technology and innovation, and we are on track to achieve significant greenhouse gas reductions.”
Most Fuel Efficient Automaker Doesn’t Sell Plug-In Cars
In the report, the EPA ranks automakers based on the fuel efficiency and GHG emission levels. According to the report, Mazda is the most fuel efficient automaker in America for model year 2014. This is the third year in a row that Mazda has received this title, which would not be surprising at all, if it weren’t for the fact that the Japanese manufacturer does not offer a hybrid or an all-electric car in the U.S.
In 2014, Mazda’s vehicles achieved an average fuel economy of 29.4 mpg, which is a 1.3-mpg improvement over the previous year. Mazda achieved the best results when it comes to carbon emissions, as well, with an average of 302 grams per mile.
All Thanks to Skyactiv Technology
Mazda may not have any electrified vehicles in its lineup, but it does have vehicles equipped with Skyactiv technology, which significantly improves the fuel efficiency of gasoline-powered cars. It’s a technology that includes fuel-efficient engines and advanced transmission systems, among other components, and it can be found on several models that are currently on sale in the U.S., such as the Mazda 6 and Mazda 3.
American Automakers Lag Behind
The EPA reports note that the Detroit Big Three are far from Mazda’s fuel economy and emissions levels. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles had the lowest fuel economy average, at just 20.8 mpg, joined by Ford and GM near the bottom of the rankings.
This means that American manufacturers have their work cut out of them if they want to be more competitive with foreign car makers when it comes to fuel efficiency and emissions levels.