Save Money

•Choosing the most fuel-efficient vehicle in a particular class can save you as much as $1,700 a year in fuel costs.

Reduce Oil Dependence Costs

•Nearly 40% of the oil used to produce the gasoline used in the U.S. is imported.  About 19 million barrels of oil are used per day in the U.S., two thirds of which are used for transportation.  Oil dependence cost the U.S. economy around $500 billion in 2012 alone.  A more fuel efficient vehicle will result is a smaller oil dependence.

•70% of all oil consumed in the U.S. is used for transportation

•U.S. transportation fuel consumption accounts for over 70% of total U.S. oil consumption, and more than 65% of that is for personal vehicles.

Reduce Climate Change

•Burning fossil fuels such as gasoline releases carbon dioxide (CO2) and other harmful greenhouse gases(GHG) into the atmosphere, contributing to global climate change. Highway vehicles in the U.S. account for almost a quarter (1.7 billion tons) of CO2 emissions each year (60% of all transportation emissions).  About 20 pounds of CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere per gallon of gasoline burned.  The average vehicle emits around 5 to 8 tons of CO2 each year.  Refer to Environmental Impact for more on emissions.

Author: Matt Smith