Cars heavier, faster but US fuel economy unchanged

Hybrids don’t make a dent as fuel efficiency increases but is offset by weight and power.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — New vehicles in the United States are the fastest and heaviest in three decades, with the fleet’s fuel efficiency no better than the figure for 1994 — about 21 miles per gallon, the government said on Monday.

The mileage estimate for 2006 passenger vehicles — cars, sports utilities, pickups and minivans — continues a recent trend even though gasoline prices have risen steadily and now average $3 per gallon, the Environmental Protection Agency said in an annual efficiency report.

Gains from gas-electric hybrid engines and other fuel saving technologies — mainly seen in compacts, sedans and other passenger cars — were noted. But these technologies represent a fraction of what is available in showrooms and bigger models continue to blunt efficiency.

Overall domestic sales were off in June, pulled down by a sharp decline in consumer appetite for less efficient SUVs and pickups.

Reuters