In the past 20 years, the acceleration performance of light-duty vehicles in the United States has improved substantially while vehicles have gotten larger and heavier. Over the same period, fuel economy, measured as miles per gallon, has not improved. These data suggest that technological innovation in vehicles is not lagging but is not being used to improve vehicle fuel economy. This paper quantifies vehicle efficiency improvements in U.S. light-duty vehicles since 1975 as they relate to fuel consumption. Energy efficiency improvements have been strongly positive and relatively constant since 1975. The rapid rise in fuel economy in the late 1970s was due to a mix of efficiency improvements and downgrading of utility in the form of reduced size, power, and elimination of accessories and amenities (such as air conditioning). In contrast, since the mid-1980s, fuel economy has remained constant while the benefits of technological innovation were used to satisfy private desires (more power, size, and amenities), instead of the public interest (reduced greenhouse gas emissions and oil imports). An important policy question is how and to what extent future efficiency innovations might be directed to the public interest.


    Zugriff

    Download

    Verfügbarkeit in meiner Bibliothek prüfen

    Bestellung bei Subito €


    Exportieren, teilen und zitieren



    Titel :

    Energy Efficiency, Fuel Economy, and Policy Implications


    Weitere Titelangaben:

    Transportation Research Record


    Beteiligte:


    Erscheinungsdatum :

    2005-01-01




    Medientyp :

    Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)


    Format :

    Elektronische Ressource


    Sprache :

    Englisch



    Energy Efficiency, Fuel Economy, and Policy Implications

    Lutsey, Nicholas / Sperling, Daniel | Transportation Research Record | 2005


    Fuel Economy Roadmap for Brazilian Energy Efficiency Regulatory

    Malfitani, Carlos B. / Ribeiro, Fernando / Oliveira, Osmar M. S. et al. | SAE Technical Papers | 2021



    Light truck fuel economy by design efficiency

    Bickerstaff,D.J. / Ford,US | Kraftfahrwesen | 1978


    Light Truck Fuel Economy by Design Efficiency

    Bickerstaff, D. J. | SAE Technical Papers | 1978