Fuel Efficiency

Pew is working to build public support for making the transportation sector cleaner, more efficient and less dependent on foreign oil. Cars, trucks and mass transit in the United States consume about 14 million barrels of oil a day—two-thirds of the nation's daily total. Of that, about 55 percent is imported, at a cost of $1 billion a day to the U.S. economy.

As the number of cars and miles driven continue to grow, so will the economic costs and security burden—in addition to the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. Combined with volatile gasoline prices and increasing global competition for automobile market share, there is a clear imperative to make our cars cleaner, more efficient and less oil-dependent.

We must fundamentally transform today's energy policies if we are to seize the economic, security and environmental benefits of a cleaner, more efficient transportation sector.

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Article

3 Ways New Truck Efficiency Proposal Is Big Win for U.S.

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The Obama administration announced June 19 a proposed rule calling for increased fuel efficiency of and reduced tailpipe emissions from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. This is good news for businesses and consumers, who stand to benefit from significant fuel cost savings. The rule, if passed, would also help the environment through reduced carbon pollution.

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Article

Federal Fuel Efficiency Rules for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Trucks Keep Getting Better

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On Aug. 16, 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finalized new rules that will make medium- and heavy-duty vehicles cleaner and more efficient. The rule will increase the fuel efficiency and reduce tailpipe emissions of tractor-trailers, package delivery vans, transit buses, and other large trucks sold between 2021 and 2027 in an effort to decrease greenhouse gases and improve fuel economy.

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Press Releases & Statements

Pew Applauds Proposed Efficiency Standards for Trucks

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Press Releases & Statements

The Pew Charitable Trusts commends the Obama administration for issuing today a draft rule to increase the fuel efficiency of, and reduce tailpipe emissions from, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The proposed rule would require vehicles such as tractor-trailers, package delivery vans, transit buses, and other large trucks sold between 2021 and 2027 to meet new greenhouse gas and fuel economy standards.

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istock truck
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Stakeholders Call for More Energy-Efficient Trucks

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During the past decade, the United States has made tremendous strides in setting progressive fuel-economy standards for cars and trucks. The resulting benefits include consumer savings at the pump, a decline in the nation’s dependence on foreign oil, and reduced carbon pollution.

Additional Resources

America’s Overdose Crisis
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America’s Overdose Crisis

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America’s Overdose Crisis

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Article

37 Scientists Pioneering the Future of Biomedical Research

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Biomedical researchers are at the heart of nearly every medical advancement. From cutting-edge cancer treatments to breakthrough discoveries about emerging viruses, these scientists use creativity and ingenuity to explore new horizons in human health and medicine. And for nearly 40 years, The Pew Charitable Trusts has supported more than 1,000 early-career researchers committed to this work.

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Learn the Basics of Broadband from Our Limited Series

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How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?