For years, the auto industry had successfully fought off attempts to impose tougher gas mileage standards. But when the big automakers came to Washington last year asking for handouts, the help came at a price: tough new national standards. The rules — previously proposed as state limits by California — will require each car company selling in the U.S. to deliver an average fuel economy of 35.5 miles per gallon for its cars, SUVs, vans, and pickups sold here.
That’s about 40 percent higher than the current average. And to get there by the 2016 deadline, the auto companies will need to roll out a mix of technological innovations.
Some automakers are fielding new plug-in electric cars like the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, both of which go on sale late this year. The mix on Auto Row will also include improved gas-electric hybrids and cleaner diesels. We may even see engines that run on natural gas or hydrogen making a dent in the market.
Gasoline engines with high-tech improvements will remain dominant this decade for a simple reason: Incremental technology changes are the most efficient way for automakers to deliver low-cost higher mileage. Gasoline engines, which now account for about 90 percent of car sales, will still have a 73 percent U.S. market share by 2016 and just below 70 percent by 2020, according to forecasts by research firm J.D. Power and Associates.
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