Big mountain, slow climb

The U.S. light-vehicle fleet has achieved a small gain in average fuel economy since the middle of the Obama administration, when the 2025 model year target was set at 36 mpg. Here are estimated real-world fuel economy figures — what consumers would see on a vehicle’s window sticker — for cars and trucks combined, shown by model year.

2021 is a preliminary figure
2025 target under the Obama rules: 36 mpg
2026 target under the Trump rules: 32 mpg
2026 target under the Biden rules: 40 mpg
Source: EPA