The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) is the sales-weighted harmonic mean fuel economy of a manufacturer’s fleet of new cars or light trucks in a certain model year (MY). First enacted by Congress in 1975, the standards for cars began in MY 1978 and for light trucks in MY 1979. In general, the average of all cars has met or exceeded the standards each year; light trucks’ averages have mostly exceeded the standards as well. However, standards must be met on a manufacturer level – some manufacturers fall short of the standards while others exceed them. Legislation passed in December 2007 raised the CAFE standards beginning in MY 2011 – for cars, this was the first increase since 1990.

CAFE and CAFE Standards for Cars and Light Trucks, MY 1978-2014

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Note: Light truck standards for MY 2008-2010 are based on “unreformed” standards. MY 2013 and 2014 data are estimates based on product plans.

Fact #870 Dataset

Supporting Information

CAFE and CAFE Standards for Cars and Light Trucks, MY 1978-2014
Model YearCars StandardLight Trucks StandardCars CAFÉLight Trucks CAFÉ
197818 19.9 
19791917.220.318.2
1980201624.318.5
19812216.725.920.1
19822417.526.620.5
1983261926.420.7
1984272026.920.6
198527.519.527.620.7
1986262028.221.5
19872620.528.521.7
19882620.528.821.3
198926.520.528.421
199027.5202820.8
199127.520.228.421.3
199227.520.227.920.8
199327.520.428.421
199427.520.528.320.8
199527.520.628.620.5
199627.520.728.520.8
199727.520.728.720.6
199827.520.728.821
199927.520.728.320.9
200027.520.728.521.3
200127.520.728.820.9
200227.520.729.021.4
200327.520.729.521.8
200427.520.729.521.5
200527.521.030.322.1
200627.521.630.122.5
200727.522.231.223.1
200827.522.431.523.6
200927.523.032.924.8
201027.523.433.925.2
201130.224.333.124.7
201233.025.335.325.0
201333.425.836.025.5
201434.126.336.526.4

Source: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 2014 Vehicle Technologies Market Report, ORNL/TM-2015/85, March 2015.

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