When it comes to high mileage vehicles available on the U.S.
market, we come up short compared to vehicles available in other countries.
Recent research put forth by 40mgp.org shoes that
while 113 vehicles available overseas manage to maintain a combined fuel economy
rating of 40MPG or higher, only two vehicles made the list in the U.S.
The two vehicles available in the U.S. that crossed the
40MPG threshold were both gasoline-electric
hybrids: the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic Hybrid. In many European
countries, vehicles achieve a 40MPG or higher rating by using small,
ultra-efficient gasoline or diesel engines.
Research by 40mpg.org also showed
that over 38 vehicles available outside of the U.S. were able to achieve 50MPG.
Of those 38 models researched, 34 used "clean diesel" technology.
Other interesting tidbits brought to light include the fact
that the number of vehicles achieving 40MPG or higher outside of the U.S. has
risen from 86 in 2005 to 113 in 2007. Likewise, the number has decreased from
five in 2005 to two in 2007 for the U.S. In addition, the number of vehicles
achieving at least 35MPG outside of the U.S. has risen from 129 in 2005 to 161
in 2007. That number has fallen from nine to six in the U.S.
"We have to face the unpleasant facts here: America is
needlessly losing the race to develop the best fuel-efficient technology and
then deliver it to the American consumer, which wants these cars and other
vehicles that would use less imported fuel and create less global-warming
pollution," said Pam Solo, President of the Civil Society Institute (CSI).
"The Europeans, Japanese and Chinese are already committed to far more
aggressive MPG standards than we are in the United States. Congress needs to
show some leadership now and insist on a 40 miles per gallon standard now - not
10 years from now when it will be too late to save Detroit from its worst
impulses."
The interesting thing to note is that the vast majority of
the vehicle available overseas that achieve such high mileage ratings are made
by U.S.-based companies like General Motors and Ford as well as foreign
automakers like Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen – all three of which are very
familiar to American buyers.
However, until these automakers are given a reason to
introduce more fuel efficient models here in the U.S. (i.e. higher
government-mandated fuel economy standards), we'll likely continue to see a dearth
of affordable, highly fuel efficient vehicles.