Maps and Data - Power and Fuel Economy of the Average Light-Duty Vehicle

This chart shows trends in horsepower and fuel economy in light-duty vehicles from 1975 to 2021. Advances in vehicle technologies can generally be used to increase either horsepower or fuel economy. Horsepower steadily increased from 1980 through 2021, with exceptions in the years 2009 and 2010, likely from reduced production of larger sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and trucks during the economic recession. Fuel efficiency declined from the late 1980s through the mid-2000s, partly from the rise in popularity of light-duty trucks (including pickups, SUVs, and vans) as compared to passenger vehicles. Since 2004, average fuel economy has been increasing largely as a result of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. See also Composition of New U.S. Light-Duty Vehicles by Vehicle Type.

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