New Fuel Economy Labels Will Help Americans Save Money: EDF

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Kathryn Phillips, 916-893-8494, kphillips@edf.org
Tony Kreindler, 202-572-3378, tkreindler@edf.org

(Washington, D.C. – May 25, 2011) New auto labels will give American consumers the critical information they need to save money on gas and help fight pollution, said Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).

EDF praised the consumer-friendly design of the new labels, which were unveiled this morning by the leaders of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“The new label design will empower American car-buyers like never before,” said EDF transportation expert Kathryn Phillips. “The number rankings give consumers an easy way to compare the performance of different vehicles just by looking at the label. This is a tool that will make buying a new car an easier, more pleasant experience. It will help families save money at the gas pump for years to come, and it will help them reduce their carbon footprint and the pollution that’s in our air.”

This is the most significant overhaul of auto labels since mileage stickers were first put on cars. The new design will include:

• A numerical ranking system. This will combine information about fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions into one clear, accessible, “1 to 10” designation.
• A car’s five-year cost savings for the buyer. The average American owns a car for five years; the new labels will show how much money can be saved over that time by buying a more fuel-efficient car.
• More information for consumers online. The labels display a website with extensive information to empower consumers, including information about the pollution associated with producing traditional gasoline-powered cars, and a new tool to determine emissions from power plants in all U.S. zip codes so buyers can examine the electricity-generation emissions associated with powering electric vehicles.
• The labels will keep the familiar numbers for miles-per-gallon and average one-year fuel costs.
• Shoppers can expect to see the new labels on 2013 model cars at their local dealerships.

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Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org), a leading national nonprofit organization, creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems.EDF links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships. See twitter.com/EnvDefenseFund; facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund; Way2Go blog posts at http://blogs.edf.org/transportation/