March 2014 US New Car Fuel Economy Average Climbs To 25.4 MPG

Cameron Aubernon
by Cameron Aubernon

The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute says the U.S. new car fuel economy average climbed 0.3 mpg to 25.4 mpg in March.

Automotive News reports the average is the highest recorded since the university began collecting data in October 2007, being 5.3 mpg higher than the first recorded average that month. The institute’s Eco-Driving Index held at 0.80 in January, a 20 percent improvement since the EDI was also established in October 2007.

As for fuel consumption, a separate study found consumption to be 11 percent lower in 2012 than in 2004, reflecting both a decline in driving distance, and an increase in fuel economy. In 2012, the average per vehicle was 529 gallons.

Cameron Aubernon
Cameron Aubernon

Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.

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  • Corey Lewis Corey Lewis on Apr 04, 2014

    What's ARCO?! And a photo of two cars which surely get 25.4mpg.

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    • Corey Lewis Corey Lewis on Apr 05, 2014

      @APaGttH You win for most informative answer to my question!

  • Seabrjim Seabrjim on Apr 04, 2014

    How cool! An ARCO station. Where is this? Not New Jersey. Havent seen one in decades. When I was a kid in the 60s they were Atlantic Rich field an they gave you an orange styrofoam ball to stick on your radio antenna. The abbreviation of ARCO started in the early 70s, I think.

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    • Drzhivago138 Drzhivago138 on Apr 05, 2014

      @shaker This was still back in the days of "filler cap is in the bumper/under the badge," right?

  • I've got a Jaaaaag I've got a Jaaaaag on Apr 04, 2014

    An ARCO? Great now I have Sir Mix-A-Lot's "My Hooptie" stuck in my head.

    • Cameron Aubernon Cameron Aubernon on Apr 04, 2014

      Ice-T referenced am/pm in the prequel to "6 'N The Mornin'" entitled "Midnight," as well.

  • TW5 TW5 on Apr 04, 2014

    The mpg improvements are welcome, but they are inadequate, as well. Consuming superfluous foreign oil costs the US economy about 1% GDP growth per year. We can't afford that kind of foreign trade largesse anymore. The environment won't complain if we burn less oil, either.

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    • Lorenzo Lorenzo on Apr 06, 2014

      We're actually using less oil than we did just a few years ago, though much of that progress was the result of a deep recession reducing economic activity. We're importing less oil too, because of several advances in new fields, shale, and getting at long-known deposits that couldn't be tapped with older technology. Many played out oil fields produced only 25%-35% of the estimated oil in those deposits. Technology not yet devised could tap the unused remainder, which is the majority of the deposits. As Drzhivago138 points out below, eventually we'll run out of hydrocarbons, but I'm willing to agree with the former Saudi Oil Minister that we're a resourceful species, and we'll find new sources of energy long before the oil runs out. Meanwhile, cleaner running cars are preventing us from choking on the kind of fumes that were put out by 1960s and older cars.

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