The punch line is:  More oil just doesn’t help Americans with pain at the pump, but new fuel economy standards and vehicle innovation does.  How big is the difference?  It’s not even close.

Lets take a back of the envelope look at what popular “solutions” actually do about what Americans spend on gasoline– today, in a few years, and decades from now. 

What do these charts tell us?

1.  What seem like very big oil projects (which often carry big risks) cut just a few cents on the gallon in 2030 – and have virtually no effect today.  Supply and demand does work, but it works on a global scale and we’re small players in the huge global oil market. 

Like a small farmer thinking about whether to plant another 100 acres of corn, we’re price takers in the oil market, not price setters (and like that farmer, oil companies are sure hoping the price stays up, not hoping it goes down) 

2. By far the biggest and quickest way to change what we pay for fuel is to improve what we drive.  Thanks to new fuel economy standards and the innovation that is coming with them, families and businesses are taking back control at the pump.  Even if it will be five or ten years before you buy your next new (or new used ) car or truck, vehicle fuel efficiency is improving so fast that that new vehicles will bring quicker and deeper cuts in what we pay for fuel than all the drilling projects put together.    In the short term, consumers can also change how much they drive, or choose other ways to travel where good transit exists,  but new vehicle standards bring fuel savings comparatively quickly for all kinds of vehicles, drivers and lifestyles.

3. Filling up with electricity is a big deal.  Compared to petroleum, electricity is cheap, stable and secure.  While oil prices keep rising, the U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA)  projects electricity prices dropping in real terms through 2030.  Though we don’t reflect it in the chart, electric vehicle technology costs are also dropping while electric engine efficiency improves.  Sure, the cost of electric vehicles today is higher than a comparable vehicle, but when you’re saving $3 on every gallon or 10 grand on fuel every 5 years, that gives some room to spare – even today.

As a CNN article pointed out this week there really isn’t much a President (or a Presidential candidate) can do about world oil prices, but what these charts show is that Americans’ household budgets and business bottom lines depend on getting their hands on new vehicle innovation.  

Lets challenge our politicians to focus on the real solutions:  Getting savings into Americans’ hands means support for the strong new fuel economy standards and for other measures that  speed R&D and manufacturing  of advanced vehicle technology in America – from pick-up trucks with powerful highly efficient gasoline and diesel engines, to electric and plug-in hybrid electric sedans.

But what about?  More details…

4.  Are those gas price increases in the 2015 graph?  Yes, the Keystone XL pipeline is expected to raise, not lower, gasoline prices in the Midwest.  Today, without a pipeline to coastal refineries, much Canadian tar sands oil is “stuck” in the Midwest and sells at a discount relative to the price for comparable Mexican heavy crude on the world market.  If a pipeline is built from Canada to the Gulf, the oil can reach many markets, and the company expects $2-$4 Billion a year in additional revenues from selling it at the higher world price. Unfortunately, that means consumers in the Midwest would have to pay that price too.

5.  Even once the cost of advanced technology is added in, more fuel efficient cars and trucks still save consumers a ton.  The charts above just show fuel costs.  Adding advanced technology to make cars more efficient does add a little to the cost of the car – but not nearly as much as consumers get back in savings on fuel. Fuel savings are about three times as big as technology costs,  so consumers still come out way ahead. 

We also left out the direct impact that the new fuel economy standards have on world oil prices. Making our cars more efficient cuts oil demand more than any of the drilling projects shown above increase supply.  As we said on drilling, these impacts are very small, but  increasing vehicle efficiency does a better job of directly impacting on gasoline prices too.

6. Choosing made in America advanced technology over continued more spending on fuel has other benefits as well.  New more fuel efficient vehicles are a key element driving a US automotive and manufacturing recovery that has added 200,000 direct jobs in the last 2 ½  years.  And when American families and businesses save at the pump they spend those savings building jobs at home.  A recent study found that respending of savings from more efficient vehicles would add nearly half a million additional jobs.

Come again? How did we get the gas price equivalent? If you buy a car that’s twice as efficient as the one you have today, you go twice as far on the same gallon of gas.  Every mile you drive, every trip to work, will cost half as much in fuel.  So the effect on your wallet is the same as if you still had the old car and the gas price at the pump was cut in half. A 5% increase in vehicle efficiency is like a 5% cut in gas prices, 20% is like 20%, etc. etc.  Taking the average fuel economy and gas price today as a starting point, we’ve calculated the reduction in how much Americans will spend on gas as a result of different vehicle changes, and stated it as the gas price you would need to get the same savings.

Methodology:  This is a back of the envelope estimate.  Sources are included in hyperlinks throughout, but in general, estimates of oil production impacts on world oil prices come from department of energy analyses (drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, adding or reducing production on the Outer Continental Shelf).   They use different base years and reference cases – but a consistent message recurs of a very small impact on world oil prices – in the realm of just a few cents per gallon that takes many years to arrive.  Impacts on gasoline spending as a result of new vehicle efficiency improvements are calculated from the fuel economy levels required in existing and proposed fuel economy standards as compared to levels today.  The change in efficiency of all vehicles on the road (new and used) requires projecting the gradual adoption of new vehicles into the existing vehicle stock and calculating the resulting average efficiency.  We relied on a stock model developed by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) for this projection.  We have made a conservative estimate of future electric vehicle fueling cost using current electric vehicle efficiency and EIA projected average residential electricity prices.  We do not reflect improvements to EV technology, or the fact that many utilities offer lower electricity rates for off-peak EV fueling.

The Ford Focus electric (Photo: Ford)

To highlight EV news in your community — or in your garage — click here.

Here at NWF we’ve recently been part of the Plug-in Electric Vehicle Dialogue Group — a broad group of companies, utilities, NGO’s and government involved in  EVs  and convened by C2ES. At a a recent event the group released a joint action plan to help ensure consumers can smoothly fuel cars with electricity. The event is a great jumping off place to get a look at the latest news about EVs…

Why are so many people and industries excited about EV’s? Try this podcast! Nick Nigro of C2ES chats with me and Watson Collins of Northeast Utilities.  We’re talking about the PEV event, but also discussing why the technology is exciting today (cheaper electric rates, $1/gallon fill ups, JARVIS), so tune in.

Check out the event on the web, or on storify to see what participants had to say. Or check out the Action Plan itself if you’re interested in the details.

What’s happening now on EVs?

Is my state, city or town engaged?  Click here to see many that are.

What about…? Click on the links below to see what the many PEV Dialogue Group members are doing on EVs – and remember,  we’re just a slice of the many consumers, cities, auto companies, electric utilities, NGO’s and local governments involved in this transportation transformation.

Electricity isn't just for cars. US companies are building and using electric trucks and delivery vehicles as well. (Photo: NTEA)

*The role of these group members must be limited to technical contribution because of their organizational function
Who are we missing?  Let people know what’s happening with EV’s in your community – or your garage – by commenting in the box below.  Give us your city/town and a short description what’s going on on EVs.

New efficient vehicle technology lets drivers take back control at the pump. Photo: shutterstock.com

It’s good news for wildlife to see a familiar vehicle that’s 5 times as energy efficient as the average car  today (today’s average is 22 MPG), and since it doesn’t use any gasoline at all, it’s drilling, tar sands and pipeline-free.

But with rumors of gas prices hitting $5/gallon this summer (never mind rumors, I just saw $4.99/gallon for premium in my neighborhood!), there’s another reason all electric vehicles and mostly electric plug-in hybrids are a big deal. Filling up your car with electricity costs about a dollar a gallon. 

Yes $1/gallon. This year, Ford, Chevy, Nissan, Toyota, Mitsubishi, and several other automakers will offer consumers electric or mostly electric plug-in hybrid cars.

Plug-in hybrids like the 2013 Ford Fusion Energi (above) and the Chevy Volt use electricity for most trips, but use gasoline for back up to go very long distances. Photo: flickr Happy Via.

But the current car and truck renaissance isn’t just electric.  I’ve blogged before on how strong new fuel economy standards mean savings right now (like for those trading in their old F150 pickup truck for the new more efficient 2011 or 2012 model) and are bringing increasing relief from pain at the pump for drivers of all kinds of cars.

Every year new cars will be more efficient than the year before until, in 2025, a new car or truck will use half as much fuel as a new car or truck today. That’s like a cut from 4 bucks to 2 bucks a gallon in what it costs to take that spring break road trip. Taking all our cars—new and used together—Americans will be spending almost 40% less for gas in 2030 than they would without the new standards and innovation that comes with them.

In a  global market for oil, new drilling and pipelines can’t bring relief to Americans hard hit by high gas prices. But innovative new cars and trucks can. Its time to take control at the pump!

If I had any doubts about Americans’ ability to come together and literally build a better future for people and wildlife, an inspiring event last week helped put those doubts to rest. At this “Champions of Change” event, the White House honored individuals who are inventing, manufacturing, repairing and selling the next generation of transportation and energy technologies in America today.

This group of large and small business people, union leaders, educators, and entrepreneurs were passionate about making things – and they’re making the innovative – and wildlife friendly – products of today and tomorrow in America.

NWF’s Greenforce Initiative – a partnership with Jobs for the Future and community colleges across the nation – was ably represented at the event by “Champion” Rich Cregar, an instructor at Wake Technical Community College in North Carolina who is leading an effort to develop and implement a training program for sustainable transportation technologies across all of the state’s community colleges.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Also attending were two of his students Sam Johnson and Devon Fowler, who are training to service and repair the complex, electronically controlled, alternative, hybrid and electrically fueled cars and trucks that are increasingly showing up on driveways and highways across America. These same vehicles will bring families and businesses big savings at the pump, improve our energy security, and reduce the pollution and risky energy projects that threaten wildlife.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cregar, Fowler, and Johnson give some of their impressions of the event in the videos above, and you can see the rest of the “Champions” in Thursday’s event here.

So why does NWF care about making the next generation of cars and trucks?

As NWF’s vehicles policy expert people often ask me why a wildlife organization has a “car guy” (or girl in my case). The answer is straightforward. Not only is NWF committed to addressing the threat to America’s wildlife, lands and waters posed by climate change and reliance on the dirtiest fuels, but NWF also has a commitment to engaging young people to be the environmental stewards, scientists, and technologists of the future. Thursday’s event helps demonstrate that clean transportation is a winner on both these fronts.

Cleaner and more efficient cars, trucks and transportation infrastructure are amongst the most powerful tools we have to cut the carbon pollution that causes climate change and to cut oil use enough to make the worst dirty oil projects unnecessary.

And building the next generation of clean cars, trucks and infrastructure is an essential part of economic recovery now, and of ensuring fulfilling career paths for young people who will enter the workforce over the months and decades to come … and who want to be part sustaining our economy and our environment together.

Also check out:

• Rich Cregar’s own blog on the Champions of Change site
• A Community College Times article with a little more background Cregar with links to North Carolina community college sustainable technology training efforts
• A glimpse of the training provided for alternative fuel (in this case biofuel) technicians

Photo: NWF M. Smith

25% better fuel economy

20% less pollution

365 horsepower

420 lb-ft of torque

Its fall, and while many of us are throwing gear in the back of our trucks for the last weekend fishing or getting ready for the opening of hunting season, new pickup trucks are showing how cutting pollution and improving fuel economy gets done. 

The fuel economy story is about great new cars, and it’s about improving what’s inside our most familiar brands –it means consumers have more and better choices no matter what they drive. 

Let’s take a close look at America’s best-selling vehicle – the Ford F-150 pickup. Americans bought nearly 400,000 F-150’s last year.  The F-150’s efficient new EcoBoost engine is getting a lot of press, but we compared all the 2011 F-150 models with the previous generation they replaced and found improvements across the board, whether you’re looking for good value, the lightest carbon footprint, serious towing power or “all-of-the-above”. 

The charts below give a head to head comparison:  A truck owner who trades in a 2005 F150 for the 2011 model sees fuel use drop by 15 to 20 percent or more under most configurations.  A 20 percent cut in fuel consumption has the same effect on your wallet as a 20 percent cut in the price of gas —– it’s like driving into the dealership paying $3.70 a gallon, and driving out paying $2.95.

The 2011 trucks also maintain great performance. In fact, the efficient 3.5 liter, six-cylinder EcoBoost—– delivers 365 HP, 420 lbs-ft. of torque at 2500 rpm and has a towing capacity of 11300 lbs —– outperforming the larger 5.0 liter V8. 

And the combination of superior performance and efficiency is making sense to customers.  More than four out of ten F-150 customers are opting to purchase the vehicle equipped with the EcoBoost V6, although it costs $750 more than the larger V-8.   Ford increased its sales forecasts for the F-150 EcoBoost further this week, and it announced recently that it would be bringing a 1.6L EcoBoost engine to the Escape SUV which would achieve better fuel economy than the current Escape hybrid.  

“Customers are prioritizing fuel economy above every other trait,” said Ford product chief Derrick Kuzak in a statement. “Ford is meeting people’s needs by offering a family of fuel-efficient vehicles.”

With overall car and truck sales up too, new fuel economy standards are looking good for car dealers, auto companies and auto workers as well. 

The F-150 isn’t the only success story.  We look at the technology and cost savings for heavy duty truck owners under the new heavy duty truck standards in our report Trucks that Work, and my earlier Better Faster Stronger blog highlights of some great cars from the Chevy Cruze to the Cadillac ELR  – that show that whether you’re shopping for cost-effectiveness or a Corvette, new cars and trucks coming to meet fuel efficiency and carbon pollution standard s are cutting pollution and protecting wildlife, saving families and businesses money,  and improving quality and performance at the same time – that’s a win-win-win.   

Photo by Zoe Lipman

Over the last few weeks, the national debate has been even more all-about-jobs than usual.  But one story isn’t getting the play it deserves.

The auto industry is firing on all cylinders*, and its current successes suggest answers for a lot of pundits: on investment, on green jobs, on regulation, and on how if you just dug yourself out of a hole, you don’t throw away the shovel … you keep building.

Photo by Zoe Lipman

Anyone who’s looked recently at TV, a magazine, or an auto dealer’s lot, knows that there’s a renaissance happening in cars and trucks. New, cool, energy-efficient, technologically-advanced, beautifully-designed, American-made cars and trucks are everywhere – from affordable highly efficient small cars like the Chevy Cruze, to a burst of electric and partially electric cars, to the redesign of Americas bestselling vehicle, the Ford F150, so that its 25% cleaner, 50% badder, and selling better than ever.

Meanwhile the auto industry (not just the big assemblers, but the hundreds of companies in the auto supply chain) is bit by bit reopening factories, putting back jobs in advanced traditional technologies and in new batteries and electronics.  Times are still tough,  but after a decade in which Michigan – with a total population of 9 million – lost 1 million jobs, Newsweek last month ranked Michigan the best state in the nation for job growth and Michigan led the nation last year in clean energy patents.

And it isn’t just Michigan – our gradual national recovery is resting heavily on auto, with economic statistics more often than not sporting disclaimers like “led by auto production.”  The brass tacks?  The latest BLS data shows that the auto industry added almost 60,000 jobs over the past 20 months in automotive and auto parts manufacturing, while auto and parts sales added another 60,000+ over the same time period. On the manufacturing side, that’s 5% per year employment growth, and auto sales are projected to rise  9% this year. We need these gains to continue and we need to see them across the whole economy.

Fast selling Cruzes head off the lot in Lordstown, Ohio. Photos: NWF/Lipman

And on top of all this, the auto industry is on track to achieve very large environmental and energy security gains – to go green while staying in the black. The cars and trucks being built today through 2025 to meet strong new and proposed fuel efficiency standards will enable America to cut oil use by 3.4 million barrels a day – enough to more than replace what we import from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Nigeria.  Under the new standards, the industry also takes a major step forward in addressing climate change – cutting carbon pollution by over 600 million metric tons a year by 2030 – the equivalent of 10% of total US carbon pollution today.

Finally, more efficient cars and trucks will bring big savings to families and businesses (even after accounting for the cost of new technology) and put hundreds of billions of dollars that currently flow out of the country for oil, back to work building jobs in America.

So how do we get more of this?

1. Rebuilding manufacturing works.  And when we manufacture clean, efficient, competitive technology the gains only increase
2. Innovation, investment and leading environmental laws - together -deliver growth. They work separately too, but they work better together.  And doing nothing shouldn’t be an option.
3. It’s not just batteries, stupid! Some technologies serve whole industries. Major technology challenges aren’t a secret, and America can lead again in solving them. 
4. Green is the new grey:  There’s more green, more competitiveness and more jobs as we transform the powerhouse industries we know.

Check out the details on #1-#4  as the series continues…

*Actually, selectively firing on fewer cylinders is one of many innovations bringing better fuel efficiency to new cars and trucks. Cylinder deactivation or variable displacement systems reduce the number of cylinders an engine uses (saving gas) when power requirements are low, while seamlessly moving to all 6 or 8 cylinders when they need full power.  For more on the technologies that are delivering fuel savings while still delivering premium power and performance see NWF’s new report on truck standards and technology, Trucks that Work.

We focused on trucks because many of our members rely on them for work or as they hunt, fish and enjoy the outdoors, but also because trucks are a tough case: Trucks use a lot of fuel, so truck owners are hard hit by rising fuel prices, but at the same time, work trucks need power.  What we found was that the standards were win-win across the board.  With apologies to Daft Punk, these trucks work it harder, make us stronger – and save truck owners money at the same time.

And in the week since we released the report, the press has been alive with other announcements that reinforce the point that current efficiency and fuel savings improvements are the result of real innovation – not short cuts that shortchange vehicle performance.

In the report, we compare the 2005 and 2011 Ford F150 models as an example of how fuel economy innovation is already bringing consumers more and better choices – but a second wave is already underway.

Monday’s New York Times reports a partnership between Ford and Toyota to more rapidly bring out affordable, effective, rear wheel drive hybrid systems for trucks and SUVs.  “Clearly Ford and Toyota will remain competitors,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president for research and development. “By working together, we will be able to offer our customers more affordable technology sooner.”

Cadillac Converj at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show (photo: NWF Zoe Lipman)

Meanwhile,  General Motors announced they’ll be building – for real this time- the elegant, electric, extended-range Cadillac Converj – unveiled as a very sweet concept car in 2009 and now renamed the ELR – using a plug-in electric hybrid system like the Chevy Volt’s.    Then,  at the Pebble Beach luxury car show, they showed off the Ciel –  a hybrid concept car NYT Wheels blog says is “envisioned by Cadillac as a range-topping luxury flagship, the Ciel is powered by a 425-horsepower twin-turbo 3.6-liter V-6 engine and a hybrid system using lithium-ion battery technology.“  Car and Driver writes: “Cadillac tells us that this is not a direct preview of its rumored flagship, but we think it should be.”

And these announcements complement ongoing innovation in engines, transmissions and materials that is delivering quality, affordable vehicles like the Cruze – a 39 mpg strong seller that replaced the Cobalt.  GM is planning to add an even higher mileage clean diesel Cruze in 2013.

None of this stops some naysayers from being stuck in 1975 – ignoring four decades of changes in technology, in regulation, and in global demand for oil – and making some frankly head-scratching assertions about crazy costs, second rate cars and how new fuel efficiency standards are somehow bad for us.  These claims just don’t hold water today.   In 2011, America has the answer – and its coming now to a driveway near you.

In other words, whether cars and trucks bring to mind Daft Punk or “Mustang Sally”, “Pink Cadillac”, and  “Little Red Corvette” – today’s renaissance in auto innovation should be music to your ears.

President Obama speaks to attendees at Friday’s announcement (Credit: Sarah Chieffo)

Average fuel economy in America today is about 26 miles per gallon (mpg) across all cars and light trucks (SUV’s, pickups, etc.).  The President announced  Friday a landmark agreement made with automakers, the United Auto Workers, and others like the state of California, on standards that would roughly double the fuel economy of new cars and light trucks to 54.5 mpg by 2025.  (The 54.5 includes some carbon pollution cuts that don’t translate into fuel savings, so the fuel-only number would be about 50 mpg).

This is big news for consumers and big news for health and the environment. It cuts oil use by the equivalent of all our imports from Saudi Arabia and Iraq, puts $80 billion a year back in our pockets to spend on better things than foreign oil, and cuts carbon pollution the equivalent amount as closing 72 coal-fired power plants.

So why do I keep hearing grumbling when I talk to friends about this? Many say something like:  “My car gets 40 mpg today, how come we can only get to 50?”

The answer: It’s an average – and a pretty impressive average at that.

Today, your 40 mpg car averages out your neighbor’s 17 mpg SUV, and the guy down the block with the pickup, to get to that fleet-wide 26 mpg average.

To get to 50 mpg – to double the average – you need- more or less – to double everyone’s fuel economy: the cars that are pushing the envelope and the ones dragging behind.

So if you get 40 mpg today – how about 80 mpg in 2025?  Not so bad, is it?

My friend Debbie* told me she gets 54.5 mpg today.  Debbie, how does 109 mpg sound?

Quite reasonable actually.  Debbie’d be a prime candidate to be driving an electric car in 2025. They easily deliver 100+ mpg and are predicted to be about as common in 2025 as hybrids like the Prius are today.

In 2025, Debbie’s 2010 Prius will be a clunker – with barely average fuel economy, yesterday’s battery chemistry, and boring styling.  But the hybrid technology that powers the Prius will have become ordinary and mainstream, not just in lots of sedans, but in larger vehicles – so that SUVs like your neighbor’s– the one that gets 17mpg today – can routinely hit 34 mpg.  Not mind-altering, but better than most cars get today, while still hauling 3 kids, ice-hockey equipment and the dog.  And your neighbor will also cut what their  family spends on gas in half (saving about $1,100 a year at today’s gas prices).

Chevy Volt (Credit: NRMA drivers seat/Flickr)

And you don’t need a crystal ball to see these standards drive change, all you have to do is go to an auto dealership.  We’re now in the first year of implementation of the 2012 – 2016 standards that raise fuel economy to 34.1 mpg by 2016, and we’re seeing an avalanche of innovation:  high-quality, highly-efficient, affordable, domestically-manufactured compact cars that are selling fast; a 25 percent increase in fuel economy in America’s number one selling pickup truck while it also throws on extra horsepower to burn; and electric vehicles from 3 different manufacturers (more soon) in dealerships now, just to mention a few.

And that’s just to get to 34 – how can 50 not be exciting?

*names have been changed to protect the innocent (and the fact that EPA thinks Debbie may be exaggerating slightly.  The Prius is rated 51 CITY, 48 HWY, for a combined 50 mpg, though some drivers may do better).

Chevrolet Volt with charging station (via Flickr's saebaryo)

A major announcement on fuel efficiency is expected in Washington, DC on Friday morning:

The Obama administration and major auto manufacturers have reached a deal to raise fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks between 2017 and 2025, resolving a contentious negotiation over how to cut vehicles’ greenhouse gas emissions.

The agreement would require U.S. vehicle fleets to average 54.5 miles per gallon or 163 grams per mile of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2025, which represents a 50 percent cut in greenhouse gases and a 40 percent reduction in fuel consumption compared with today’s vehicles, according to sources briefed on the matter.

These new rules are welcome evidence that government and a broad range of interests can come together around an agreement on fuel economy standards and greenhouse gas reductions. They continue the Clean Air Act’s tradition of delivering big environmental and economic benefits to the nation as a whole.

The rules will extend the progress already being made under the 2012-2016 car and light truck rules– to deliver a win-win on consumer savings, relief from high prices at the pump, energy security and deep cuts in carbon pollution.

Vehicles That Work IN The Out of Doors & FOR The Out of Doors

Strong standards ensure that whether you drive a compact car or a big truck you can see big fuel savings, energy security, and environmental benefits. Many of our National Wildlife Federation members who are outdoor enthusiasts or work in natural resource fields rely on trucks, and high gas prices have a big impact. Standards that create a steady increase in fuel efficiency for all sizes of vehicles ensure that everyone gets the benefit of fuel savings – that families, small businesses and state agencies can all have the vehicles they need and see big savings at the same time.

And contrary to the doubters, the innovations we’re seeing today in engine, transmission and accessory technology deliver better efficiency AND better power and performance.  If enacted and implemented soundly, the standards will mean that you can have a truck that works in the out of doors and for the out of doors at the same time.

A Victory for Economy & Environment

While we don’t yet know the exact numbers, there’s no doubt the standard will put tens of billions of dollars a year back into families and businesses’ pockets to spur economic recovery , rather than flowing out of the country for foreign oil.  And innovation at home means jobs at home and competitiveness in the global auto market.

From what we know about the standard, trucks will face a lower efficiency improvement requirement in early years than cars.  But the agencies have also included measures to reward big jumps in large pickup truck efficiency.  We look forward to working with the agencies and the industry to ensure we move as quickly as possible to ramp up innovation and efficiency gains in pickup trucks.

The proposal still needs to be enacted and effectively implemented to guarantee its benefits, but the announcement tomorrow shows that we have what it takes to get consumers savings at the pump, enhance America’s energy security, build the cars and trucks of tomorrow, and bring all the parties together to get the job done.

With gas prices still up, March car and truck sales figures showed robust sales of fuel efficient cars and SUVs.   And this time, as we’ve seen gas prices rise, US automakers and dealers have been ready with driver friendly fuel efficient vehicles.  GM’s well received 40 mpg Cruze, for example, showed a massive jump up in sales against the model it replaced.

But stories that rightly tout the Cruze and the Fiesta usually add some caveat like “but as consumers gobbled up fuel efficient cars, the Ford F-150 pick-up truck remained America’s best-selling vehicle”. 

One point just keeps being missed  – fuel economy improvements aren’t just for cars.  Today, very significant fuel economy improvements are happening in trucks and larger vehicles of all kinds.   

For example, someone who trades in a 2005 F-150 pickup (with a combined fuel economy of 15mpg) for the new 2011 F-150 (combined fuel economy of 19mpg) is buying a 21% more fuel efficient vehicle.  Put differently – the moment that truck owner drives off the lot he or she just slashed what they spend on gas by 21%  — that’s like cutting 75 cents off the cost of every gallon at today’s prices – or as EPA estimates it  – saving $700 a year on gas. 

And stop the naysayers right there… The 2011 F-150 is ALSO a more powerful truck.  The 2011 F-150 has 50% more horsepower and more torque than the 2005 model.

Innovation, combined with strong and smartly structured fuel economy and global warming pollution standards, is delivering vehicles – in all size classes – that are just plain better.

I want that.  This is the kind of real world solution to high gas prices we need.   

Improvements in larger, less efficient vehicles like trucks also make a big difference to the environment and energy security.  Going from a 15mpg to 19mpg truck cuts as much global warming pollution and saves as much oil as switching from a 30mpg to a 52mpg car.

Of course, if a driver switched from the 15mpg vehicle to the 52mpg one, his or her savings would be really big.  And with gas prices high, new sales figures show that more consumers are making shifts in the kind of vehicle they drive.

But most people stay mostly with the type of vehicle they have  - one that meets their family, lifestyle  , or business needs.  What strong fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas standards ensure, is that every driver – no matter what kind of car they need – gets a chance to save money, save oil, and do well by doing good.  Everyone can be a hero.