Fuel economy saw big gain in 2012, says EPA

Fuel economy saw big gain in 2012, says EPA

EPA says after fuel economy went down slightly in 2011, preliminary data show a big upswing for 2012. Based on automakers sales estimates, last year saw an increase of 1.4 mpg to 23.8, a record for a single year.

EPA estimates that between 2007 and 2012 fuel economy increased 16 percent and carbon dioxide emissions fell 13 percent. Projected gains for 2012 more than make up for a slight dip in fuel economy in 2011, EPA said in a statement.

New technologies – variable valve timing, gasoline direct injection, turbochargers and superchargers, and cylinder deactivation – helped boost fuel economy, the agency said.

One reason for the decrease in 2011 was the effect of the Japanese earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident on Japanese automakers sales, said the report.