US Average Fuel Economy Improves in January
The average sales-weighted fuel economy in the U.S. increased in January 2016 after months of decline.
With gas prices dropping nationwide and truck sales booming, the average fuel economy of new vehicles sold had dropped from May 2015 to December 2015. At its highest point last year, average fuel economy came in at 25.5 mpg before hitting 24.9 in December. Last month, it rose to 25.1 mpg.
The data comes from Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute and is calculated from the monthly sales of individual models of light-duty vehicles (cars, SUVs, vans and pickup trucks) along with the combined city/highway fuel economy ratings published in the EPA Fuel Economy Guide.
SEE ALSO: US Average Vehicle Fuel Economy Down as Fuel Prices Drop
The team has been tracking fuel economy data since October 2007, when the average vehicle sold returned 20.1 mpg. It hit an all-time high of 25.8 mpg in August 2014.
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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