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2004 fuel economy makes no headway over the previous year
Associated Press
May 3, 2004
WASHINGTON -- The average fuel economy of 2004 automobiles is 20.8 miles per gallon, unchanged from the previous year's models, the Environmental Protection Agency said last week.
The fleet-wide average for U.S. light-duty vehicles has remained fairly consistent since 1997, ranging between 20.6 mpg and 20.9 mpg, the EPA said in its annual report on fuel economy trends.
Those trends could gain increasing importance for consumers if gasoline prices remain high. Prices are expected to go up by another nickel a gallon nationwide by the end of June before returning to current levels before fall, the Energy Department has estimated. It expects pump prices to average about $1.81 a gallon for the three months ending in June.
Fleet-average fuel economy peaked at 22.1 mpg in 1987, the EPA said.
EPA officials also said fuel economy has declined in the last seven years because of the increasing popularity of less fuel- efficient light trucks, particularly sport-utilities. But they said hybrid-electric vehicles, clean diesel technology and variable displacement engines hold promise for raising the average in the near future.
Light trucks are expected to account for 48 percent of sales in 2004, compared with sales of cars at 52 percent, EPA said.