CAFE EV-Fuel Economy

Corporate average fuel economy - CAFE

Corporate average fuel economy, or CAFÉ, standards require that cars in a fleet meet certain requirements regarding gas mileage. By the year 2016, that requirement will be 39 mpg. One key of this program is that every car individually does not have to meet the requirements. Manufacturers that have an electric vehicle lineup will be able to get credits for their electric and hybrid cars.

These credits can then be sold or traded with other manufacturers, allowing them to still produce the gas drinking autos the USA loves, even though those vehicles will not meet the CAFÉ standards.

The American public should be prepared for the changes that are in store when these regulations go into effect in 2016. The selection of cars being offered will change, and with that there will also be shifts in the demand for new vehicles. Even the used car market will feel a change as a result of these laws.

One of these cars that will play a role in the new CAFE laws is the Smart Fortwo. It's already well known for its unique look, ultra-compact design and incredible gas mileage. Even the version that ran strictly on fossil fuels represented a huge savings in gas for the average driver.

In addition to a Smart EV, smart GmbH, has also offered a diesel version, (CDI) and a Micro-Hybrid. Clocking in at an impressive 85 mpg, this CDI smart car is the front runner of traditional internal combustion gas engines and sets the bar very high for the competition. Unfortunately, these versions have not been available domestically.

Their are other electric vehicles are in direct competition with the new and improved EV smart car. They include the Tesla, Volt and Leaf.