EPA U.S. Light-Duty Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Economy Data Since 1975

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Automotive Trends Report provides data on greenhouse gas emissions, fuel economy, and technology for every new light-duty vehicle model sold in the United States since 1975. The data is collected from EPA laboratory testing and manufacturer submissions to support regulatory programs like GHG and CAFE standards. It is available in annual reports and downloadable spreadsheet formats.

Use Cases

• Analyze trends in Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Fuel Economy across vehicle models and manufacturers over time.
• Model compliance with GHG emissions standards using Credit Balance and Banking data from automakers.
• Assess the adoption of technology like Electric and Alternative Fuel Vehicles based on reported features.
• Calculate fleet-wide averages for metrics like G Mi and Footprint to evaluate industry performance against CAFE standards.

Strengths

• Data covers every new light-duty vehicle model sold in the U.S. since 1975, providing a long-term historical record.
• Collected directly by the EPA through official test procedures, ensuring regulatory-grade accuracy and consistency.
• Supports major national programs including EPA GHG standards and NHTSA CAFE standards, indicating high relevance for policy analysis.

Limitations

• The dataset's specific row count, column count, and sample data are not provided, making initial assessment of scope and structure difficult.
• Data is tied to U.S. vehicle models and regulations, limiting direct applicability to other geographic markets without adjustment.
• As an annual report, the data may not capture intra-year fluctuations in vehicle sales or technology adoption.

Provenance

Source

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Collection Method

Data collected from testing performed by the EPA at the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory or directly from manufacturers using official EPA test procedures.

Time Range

Since 1975.

Freshness

The report is updated annually, with the last update recorded in October 2025.

Geography

United States.