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Carmakers Hike Fuel Efficiency, Power Output in U.S.
The average per-vehicle mass of new passenger cars and light trucks in the U.S. was unchanged from the 2012 to 2013 model year, but both fuel economy and horsepower continued to climb, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
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The average per-vehicle mass of new passenger cars and light trucks in the U.S. was unchanged from the 2012 to 2013 model year, but both fuel economy and horsepower continued to climb, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The agency says the average new vehicle weighed 4,015 lbs in 2013, up 38 lbs from 2012. The increase was caused mainly by consumers buying more trucks and fewer cars.
At the same time, average engine power rose 2% to 227 hp, zero-to-60 mph acceleration times dropped by one-tenth of a second and fuel economy climbed 0.5 mpg to 24.1 mpg, according to the EPA.
The agency says fuel economy gains were due primarily to improved engine and drivetrain efficiencies. Much can be attributed to the spread of gasoline direct injection engines and automatic transmissions with seven or more forward gears. The EPA adds that a sales shift from full-frame-based trucks to car-based crossovers also helped.
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