Honda is the Most Fuel-Efficient Full-Line Automaker in America
According to a new report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Honda ranks as the most fuel-efficient full-line automaker in America, and second overall behind only Tesla.
The 2019 EPA Automotive Trends Report showed that Honda’s U.S. fleet had an average real-world fuel economy of exactly 30 miles per gallon, with CO2 emissions averaging at 296 grams per mile. For comparison, the average fuel economy across the industry is 24.2 miles per gallon, while the average CO2 emissions is 353 grams per mile.
This is based on the 2018 model year, which the report says is the latest year for which full data is available. The report also says that among all automakers, Honda showed the largest five-year improvements in emissions reduction and the second-largest improvements in fuel economy.
While Honda improved the average fuel economy of its vehicles by 2.8 mpg and lowered their average CO2 emissions by 31 grams/mile, the industry has not been quite as fast to improve. Across all manufacturers, average vehicle mpg only went up by 0.9 while emissions dropped by 15 grams/mile.
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That’s not only because automakers are failing to make substantial improvements but also because they are rapidly expanding their lineups to include more and more SUVs and crossovers — and while these are often electrified, electrified sedans would be even more efficient.
This is why GM, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, which make primarily gas-guzzling trucks or sports cars, rank at the bottom of the list. Honda is one of the few automakers that has doubled down on its passenger cars. In 2019 it set a new all-time record for electrified vehicle sales in America with a lineup comprised of the Clarity series, Accord Hybrid, and Insight.
Honda anticipates selling even more electrified vehicles in the coming years. At the beginning of the month, its lineup was bolstered by the all-new 2020 CR-V Hybrid, and by 2030 the Japanese automaker expects two-thirds of its automobile sales to be electrified. By then, it might actually be the most fuel-efficient automaker in America, full-line or not.
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Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.