DETROIT – General engines may be moving to an all-electric future, but its recent fleet is among the least efficient and most polluting in the U.S. auto industry, according to a report released Monday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Detroit automaker’s average estimated real-world fuel economy and CO2 emissions were the second worst in the industry for the 2021 model year, according to the EPA. The only major automaker to score worse than GM Stellantisformerly Fiat Chrysler.
Since the 2016 model year, both automakers have reduced fuel consumption and increased C02 emissions, according to the EPA. Hyundai engineMazda and Volkswagen.
Ford enginewhich scored just above GM, improved slightly over the five-year time frame, but remained below industry averages.
The report comes as the Biden administration pushes for the US to switch from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles. The White House has set a goal for electric cars to account for half of all new vehicle sales by 2030. GM, in particular, has announced that it plans to offer consumer-only electric cars by 2035.
“Today’s report demonstrates the significant progress we’ve made to ensure clean air for all as automakers continue to innovate and use more advanced technologies to reduce pollution,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.
Average vehicle fuel consumption in 2021 was at an all-time high of 25.4 miles per gallon, unchanged from the previous year. The EPA predicts that the fleet-wide efficiency average will rise to 26.4 mpg for 2022. CO2 emissions from new vehicles fell to a record low of 347 grams per mile, the report said.
The transportation sector accounts for about one-third of global warming greenhouse gas emissions each year. All vehicle types have record low CO2 emissions; however, market shifts from cars to SUVs and pickups have negated some of the benefits for the entire fleet.
Stellantis cited rising consumer demand for SUVs and pickups in response to the lower rankings, saying they “do not reflect our current or future product plan.”
“Car companies claim they’re chugging along with electric vehicles, but the EPA’s report shows they’re more like the caboose that claims to be the engine,” said Dan Becker, director of the Safe Climate Transport Campaign at the Center for Biological Diversity.
Automakers meet stricter emissions requirements by using regulatory credits they have earned in previous years or purchased from competitors.
At the top of the ranking was Tesla, which offers only fully electric vehicles with no CO2 emissions. Average fuel economy, measured in miles per gallon gasoline equivalent, or mpge, was 123.9 miles.
Hybrid vehicles help improve the 2021 averages. Vehicles accounted for 9% of total production last year, a new high mainly due to the growth of hybrids in the truck SUVs and pickup vehicles, the report said. Only 4% of vehicles in 2021 were electric, plug-in hybrids or fuel cell vehicles, though the EPA projects that figure will rise to 8% by 2022.
Toyota enginethat popularized the hybrid segment with its Prius has been criticized by some politicians and environmentalists for not accelerating the transition to electric cars.
Toyota, which outperforms industry averages for fuel economy and CO2 emissions, has argued that hybrids are a better choice for some consumers in the near future. The company claims it can produce eight 40-mile plug-in hybrids for every 520-mile electric vehicle and save up to eight times the carbon that is emitted into the atmosphere.
Representatives from Toyota, GM and Ford did not immediately respond to comment.
