Jan. 25, 2022—The EPA has set a fuel efficiency standard of 40 MPG that automakers must reach by 2026.
The regulations are part of a larger effort by the agency to reset automotive greenhouse gas standards, according to a report from Forbes. Through the next several years, the target calls for a 5- to 10-percent increase for passenger cars and light trucks.
If the target is met, that would represent a 60-percent jump from the 2020 average of 24.9 MPG. It's also a 25-percent jump up from the 32 MPG that would have been required in the same time frame by efficiency standards set during the Trump Administration.
Automakers are investing heavily in electric vehicle production, and EPA analysts say that will play a critical role in meeting efficiency standards; those automakers will have to produce almost 2 million more EVs every year through 2026.
