US gets tough on gas-guzzlers

THE US government has finalised new car fuel economy standards starting with 2012 models, a move officials say will save billions of barrels of oil and reduce greenhouse emissions.

WASHINGTON: The US government has finalised new car fuel economy standards starting with 2012 models, a move officials say will save billions of barrels of oil and reduce greenhouse emissions.

The rules, announced yesterday by the Department of Transportation and Environmental Protection Agency, "will significantly increase the fuel economy of all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in the US", the agencies said.

"The rules could potentially save the average buyer of a 2016 model year car $US3000 ($3260) over the life of the vehicle and, nationally, will conserve about 1.8 billion barrels of oil and reduce nearly a billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over the lives of the vehicles covered."

Starting with 2012 model vehicles, the rules require carmakers to improve fleet-wide fuel economy and reduce fleet-wide greenhouse gas emissions by about 5 per cent every year. By 2016 the industry-wide standard will be 14.4km per litre.

The standards also require that by the 2016 model-year, manufacturers must achieve a combined average vehicle emission level of 250g of carbon dioxide per 1.6km.

"These historic new standards set ambitious, but achievable, fuel economy requirements for the automotive industry that will also encourage new and emerging technologies," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

EPA administrator Lisa Jackson said: "We will be helping American motorists save money at the pump, while putting less pollution in the air. This is a significant step towards cleaner air and energy efficiency, and an important example of how our economic and environmental priorities go hand-in-hand."

The plan was formulated in co-ordination with Canada, which also issued new emissions standards.

AFP