Cleaner Cars Cut Costs and Pollution
Media Contacts
Environment California Research & Policy Center
LOS ANGELES — Since the federal clean car standards were implemented in model year 2012 vehicles, the standards have cut global warming pollution, spurred innovation and saved consumers money. Californians have saved at least $3.9 billion thanks to the pollution standards. Despite these huge plusses for California residents, the federal government plans to roll back our progress.
“We need the clean car standards to protect our health and environment. More efficient vehicles will help curb the effects of climate change, and at the same time, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, which are costly in so many ways.” said Michelle Kinman, clean energy advocate of Environment California Research & Policy Center.
The transportation sector is now the country’s largest source of the carbon pollution that causes climate change; cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks are the largest source of carbon pollution within this sector. The clean car standards are set to double fuel economy and cut global warming pollution in half for cars sold in 2025.
“Our daily commutes are cooking the planet, but they don’t have to. We have the technology to build cleaner cars and the tools to give Californians cleaner choices for getting from point A to point B,” Kinman said.
In addition to curbing dangerous global warming pollution, the standards also cut transportation costs for Californians. Consumers Union found that when the current standards are fully implemented in 2025, consumers could save $3,200 per car and $4,800 per truck over the lifetime of their vehicle.
The overwhelming majority (87%) of Americans support automakers building cleaner, more efficient cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs. Just today, the Consumer Federation of America sent a letter urging the Environmental Protection Agency to maintain the clean car standards, citing broad consumer support and savings on transportation.
“We need to move forward to clean up our cars, not put the brakes on the progress we are set to achieve. We call on the federal government to deliver cleaner cars for California and the whole country,” Kinman said.
