What Is Fuel Economy?
Fuel economy is the idea of maximizing the number of miles you can drive per gallon of gasoline. Every new car and truck for sale in the United States is required to have a fuel economy sticker in the window of the vehicle. Another aspect of fuel economy is the work that's being done to increase energy sustainability. One major benefit of fuel economy is that it decreases dependence on foreign oil.
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Identification
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Fuel economy describes the relationship between the distance an automobile traveled and the amount of fuel it consumed. It is measured as the number of miles driven per gallon (mpg). Higher mpg values translate to a stronger fuel economy because they enable you to travel more for the same amount of fuel.
Significance
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The fuel economy concept has become so influential that every new car and light truck sold in the U.S. is required to have a fuel economy sticker label in the window. The fuel economy label has the miles-per-gallon estimates for each individual car and that of the city as a whole. These estimates help consumers compare vehicles, since more efficient vehicles save you money on purchasing gasoline.
Potential
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Another aspect of fuel economy is the work to increase energy sustainability. Energy sustainability means fuel developed from renewable resources, produced by cleaner technologies that are used more efficiently. Petroleum (normal car gasoline) is a nonrenewable energy source, meaning it will eventually run out. Fuel economy researchers are therefore investigating the use of electric cars and renewable sources of fuel like biodiesel and ethanol to help decrease the amount of petroleum oil used to power cars. Other possible renewable forms of oil for vehicles include coal, shale oil and natural gas.
Prevention/Solution
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Petroleum releases carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere, which adds to the danger of global climate change. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, cars account for 26 percent of total U.S. CO2 emissions, adding up to 1.7 billion tons every year. Another aspect of fuel economy is preventing global climate change by selecting a car with a higher mpg and by using ethanol instead of petroleum to fuel your car. Walking, riding your bike or using public transportation are other ways you can contribute to increasing fuel economy.
Expert Insight
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Nearly 58 percent of oil used in 2009 was imported. Dependence on foreign oil will increase as the oil resources available in the U.S. are used up. Most of the world's oil reserves are located in the Middle East. Two-thirds of Middle Eastern oil is controlled by OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries). According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drastic oil price increases have cost the U.S. around $1.9 trillion from 2004 to 2008. Congress passed legislation to decrease oil dependence by increasing fuel economy standards on new cars and trucks up to 35 mpg by 2020. The department believes this could decrease petroleum use by 25 billion gallons by 2030.
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