Fuel efficiency and tailpipe pollution standards save money for all drivers, especially low- to middle-income earners

The document asserts that vehicle efficiency standards save money for all drivers, with the greatest impact on low- and middle-income households who spend a larger share of their income on transportation. It highlights that improvements from 1980 to 2014 saved average middle-income households up to $17,000, and forecasts that 2017–2025 standards could save the average new car buyer $6,000 over the life of a 2025 vehicle. The text warns that weakening these standards, as pursued by the Trump administration, risks the goal of doubling average fuel efficiency by 2025 and could lead to the U.S. spending nearly $2 billion daily on 'dirtier, harder-to-reach oil'.

• Low- and middle-income households are disproportionately benefited by fuel efficiency because they spend a larger portion of their income on transportation—up to 30 percent for low-income households and nearly 20 percent for middle-income households.
• Historical and projected savings from vehicle efficiency are substantial: between 1980 and 2014, average middle-income households saved as much as $17,000, and the 2017–2025 standards are expected to save the average new car buyer approximately $6,000 over the life of a 2025 vehicle.
• Improved fuel efficiency is projected to save Americans a collective $50 billion by 2030, while the cost of the most affordable vehicles has remained effectively constant over the last decade despite efficiency gains.
• Transportation was responsible for 27 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2015, and tailpipe emissions contribute to public health issues including heart disease and asthma.
• The document warns that without these standards, the United States would spend nearly $2 billion every day on 'dirtier, harder-to-reach oil', which would most severely impact low- to middle-income Americans.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2017). Fuel efficiency and tailpipe pollution standards save money for all drivers, especially low- to middle-income earners. https://www.ucs.org/resources/fuel-efficiency-and-income

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Fuel efficiency and tailpipe pollution standards save money for all drivers, especially low- to middle-income earners. 2017. https://www.ucs.org/resources/fuel-efficiency-and-income.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Fuel efficiency and tailpipe pollution standards save money for all drivers, especially low- to middle-income earners |date=23 August 2017 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/fuel-efficiency-and-income |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2017fuel, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Fuel efficiency and tailpipe pollution standards save money for all drivers, especially low- to middle-income earners}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2017}, month = aug, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/fuel-efficiency-and-income}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }