General Motors (GM) and Stellantis have been ranked among the least efficient and most polluting in the U.S. automotive industry, according to a report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
According to EPA, Stellantis has the worst average estimated real-world fuel economy and carbon emissions while GM stands at the second-worst in the industry for the 2021 model year. Both automakers decreased their fuel economy and increased C02 emissions since the 2016 model year, the EPA report says.
The report comes as the Biden administration pushes to transition the U.S. away from gasoline-powered cars and toward electric vehicles. The White House has set a goal for EVs to make up half of all new vehicle sales by 2030. GM, most notably, has said it plans to exclusively offer consumer EVs by 2035. EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.
“The report demonstrates the significant progress we’ve made to ensure clean air for all as automakers continue to innovate and utilize more advanced technologies to cut pollution.”
The 2021 average vehicle fuel economy was at an all-time high of 25.4 miles per gallon, unchanged from the year prior. The EPA projects the 2022 fleetwide efficiency average will rise to 26.4 mpg. New vehicle carbon dioxide emissions declined to a record low of 347 grams per mile, the report said.
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The transportation sector represents about one-third of climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions each year. All vehicle types are at record-low CO2 emissions; however, market shifts away from cars and toward SUVs and pickups have offset some of the fleetwide benefits. Stellantis cited the rising demand among consumers for SUVs and pickups in response to its lower rankings, saying they do “not reflect our current or future product plan.”
“Auto companies claim they’re chugging ahead with electric vehicles, but the EPA’s report shows they’re more like the caboose claiming to be the engine,” said Dan Becker, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Safe Climate Transport Campaign. Automakers are meeting stricter emissions requirements by using regulatory credits they earned from previous years or bought from competitors.
At the top of the rankings was Tesla, which exclusively offers all-electric vehicles without any CO2 emissions. Its average fuel economy, which is measured in terms of miles per gallon of gasoline equivalent, or mpge, was 123.9 miles.
Toyota which popularized the hybrid segment with its Prius has been criticized by some politicians and environmentalists for not moving to EVs more quickly. Toyota, which ranked better than industry averages for fuel economy and CO2 emissions, has argued that hybrids are a better choice for some consumers for the foreseeable future. The Japanese automaker argues it can produce eight 40-mile plug-in hybrids for every one 320-mile battery electric vehicle and save up to eight times the carbon emitted into the atmosphere.
Source: CNBC
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
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