The 2022 model year has seen significant advancements in fuel economy and reductions in CO2 emissions for new vehicles sold in the United States, leading to cleaner air. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2023 Automotive Trends Report revealed that new vehicle CO2 emissions and fuel economy had the biggest improvements in the last nine years, reaching record low CO2 emissions and record high fuel economy on average.
However, the increasing popularity of large SUVs and trucks has offset some of these benefits. Despite advancements in fuel-saving technologies and the increasing rates of electric vehicle adoption, average new vehicle horsepower, weight, and footprint are at record highs for the 2022 model year.
With more and more electric vehicles being manufactured and sold in the United States, the average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for 2022 model year cars went down, while the average fuel economy went up. This means newer cars pollute less on average than their predecessors.
Tesla is seen as the benchmark for fuel economy and CO2 emissions, as their vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions. Following closely is Hyundai, with an average estimated real-world fuel economy of 29.1 mpg and reduced CO2 emissions for the 2022 model year.
Honda, on the other hand, saw a decline in both fuel economy and CO2 emissions for the 2022 model year. Toyota recorded the biggest improvement in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, while Mazda saw a reversal in these areas.
Stellantis, which owns several car marques, had the worst performance among major car makers, but also recorded slight improvements in fuel economy and CO2 emissions.
The EPA emphasizes that smaller, lighter vehicles are a better choice for fuel economy and emissions. Sedans and wagons had the lowest CO2 emissions, while larger vehicles such as trucks and SUVs had higher emissions.
Looking ahead to the 2023 model year, the EPA predicts that electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and fuel cell electric vehicles combined might see a 12% share in production, leading to a decrease in average carbon dioxide emissions.
As more hybrids and all-electric vehicles take to the streets, the average carbon dioxide emissions should slowly decrease, contributing to cleaner air. However, given the number of older cars still on the road emitting harmful gases, the issue of how to address these vehicles remains to be resolved.
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