WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. vehicle fleet’s fuel efficiency in the 2019 model year fell to 24.9 miles per gallon (mpg) as more Americans bought larger sport utility vehicles instead of cars.
The Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday that the fuel economy of the U.S. fleet fell by 0.2 mpg and most manufacturers are using banked credits to meet current compliance requirements. The EPA said since the 2004 model year, when the vehicle fleet averaged 19.3 mpg, fuel economy and emissions have improved in 12 out of 15 years.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)