Introduction to the Automotive Trends Report

This annual report is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) commitment to provide the public with information about new light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, fuel economy, technology data, and auto manufacturers' performance in meeting the agency’s GHG emissions standards.

Since 1975, EPA has collected data on every new light-duty vehicle model sold in the United States either from testing performed by EPA at the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan, or directly from manufacturers using official EPA test procedures. These data are collected to support several important national programs, including EPA criteria pollutant and GHG standards, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, and vehicle Fuel Economy and Environment labels. This expansive data set allows EPA to provide a uniquely comprehensive analysis of the automotive industry over the last 45+ years.

The carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and fuel economy data in this report fall into one of two categories. The first is compliance data, which are measured using laboratory tests required by law for CAFE and adopted by EPA for GHG compliance. The second is estimated real-world data, which are measured using additional laboratory tests to capture a wider range of operating conditions (including hot and cold weather, higher speeds, and faster accelerations) encountered by an average driver. This report shows real-world data, except for discussions specific to compliance with EPA’s light-duty GHG program.

All data in this report for model years 1975 through 2022 are final and based on official data submitted to EPA and NHTSA as part of the regulatory process. In some cases, this report will show data for model year 2023, which are preliminary and based on data provided to EPA by automakers prior to the model year. These preliminary data include projected production volumes, which may change significantly before being finalized.

For a summary of the report, see the Highlights. To download the PDFs of the Executive Summary and Full Report, see Download the Report. For more information about the Trends database see About the Data.