On August 23, the Bush administration unveiled a new sized-based fuel economy plan for light trucks. The proposal asks automakers, for the first time, to focus their technology on increasing fuel efficiency across their fleets.
Supporters of the proposal say the plan will produce dramatic fuel savings in popular classes of vehicles. In contrast, environmentalists criticized the proposed sized-based regulations and dismissed the plan as “trivial.”
The proposal breaks vehicles into six sized-based categories based on square footage, determined by multiplying the wheel track (width between the front or rear wheels) and wheelbase (distance from front wheel to rear wheel).
The six size classes are:
- Less than 43 square feet, which would have a fuel economy standard of 28.4 mpg
- 43 to 47 square feet, 27.1 mpg
- 47 square feet to 52, 24.5 mpg
- 52 square feet to 56.5, 23.3 mpg
- 56.5 to 65 square feet, 21.9 mpg, and
- Greater than 65 square feet, 21.3 mpg
Vehicles that would currently fit into the 52 to 56.5 square feet class include most minivans, and would need to meet a 23.3 mpg standard. That category also includes some sport utility vehicles.
