Last month, President Obama laudably committed his Administration to take significant action toward cutting carbon pollution, transitioning to renewable and improving efficiency in order to combat climate change. One measure he stated as key to curbing our carbon footprint were strong vehicle efficiency and pollution standards – a measure already embraced by America’s leading auto manufacturers.
These standards, which will nearly double America’s light duty vehicle fuel efficiency to 54.5 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2025, are one of the single largest actions taken to date by the Obama Administration, and will result in an estimated 12 billion barrels of oil saved, 6 billion fewer tons of carbon dioxide, and as BlueGreen Alliance published in a landmark report last year, more than 570,000 jobs created by 2030 in the auto industry and throughout the U.S. economy.
These actions demonstrate the true meaning of leadership – bold, decisive, and effective. General Motors has responded to the call by deploying a variety of conventional and advanced vehicles, like the fuel-sipping Chevy Cruze and plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt, to deliver the high-performance, high-efficiency cars that consumers demand in the marketplace.