General Motors favors fuel-efficiency rules based on historic rates

General Motors supports an yearly increase in fuel-efficiency standards based on “historic rates” instead of tough Obama era rules or a Trump administration proposal that would freeze requirements, as per a federal filing made public on Monday.

The largest U.S. automaker stated the Obama rules that aimed to increase fleetwide fuel efficiency to over 50 miles per gallon by 2025 are not technologically practical or economically practicable.

The Detroit automaker stated that since 1980, the motor vehicle fleet has enhanced fuel efficiency at an average rate of 1 percent per year.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV stated in separate remarks that the auto industry is adhering to present fuel efficiency requirements by using credits from earlier model years.

As a consequence even if requirements are frozen at 2020 levels “the industry would need to keep improving fuel economy” as credits expire, it added, cautioning if the government hikes standards beyond 2020 requirements “the situation worsens … without some major form of offset or flexibility.”

Fiat Chrysler and Ford Motor prompted the government to recategorize two-wheel drive SUVs as light trucks, which face less stringent requirements compared to cars. A four-wheel drive version of the same SUV is regarded as a light truck.

Ford’s comments support fuel rules “that boost year-over-year with additional flexibility to help us provide more affordable options for our consumers”.