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NRDC - The Earth's Best Defense

Move America Beyond Oil

Let's take the road to a clean, secure energy future.

Better Cars: Driving Down Pollution

Technology already exists to dramatically increase the fuel economy of passenger vehicles. All we have to do is use it.

Vehicles on the road in the United States today get an average of about 20 miles per gallon - lower than during the 1980s - despite the fact that auto companies have developed technologies that can improve mileage and cut global warming pollution. By manufacturing more hybrids and improving conventional engines, automakers could raise the average fuel efficiency of new vehicles to 40 mpg by 2020, using technology that already exists.

Add to that an increase in renewable fuels use and oil demand for cars and trucks could drop more than 20 percent by 2020, saving consumers almost $40 billion per year - as well as cutting billions of tons of global warming pollution.

Up with Fuel Economy!

Requiring cars to be more fuel-efficient spurs innovation, reduces oil dependence and cuts global warming pollution.

Hybrids

Hybrid cars use a gasoline engine in combination with a battery-powered electric motor, and they can get more than double the mileage per gallon of gasoline of conventional cars. They burn less fuel while slowing or idling, and they recharge their batteries while you drive. Hybrid technology also produces a lot less global warming pollution than conventional car engines.

Better Conventional Cars and Trucks

Another way Americans can cut oil demand is to buy conventional cars and trucks that get better mileage. Technologies to boost mileage on conventional cars exist, but they're not widely used, nor are they used in combination to further boost efficiency. Vehicles produced in the United States today get an average of about 20 miles to the gallon -- lower than in the 1980s -- but independent research shows that carmakers could use existing technology to raise average mileage for new vehicles to nearly 40 miles per gallon during the next decade.

Seven Ways to Save Gas Right Now

Gas prices got you down? Save big at the pump with our simple car tips.