U.S. consumers bought a slightly more fuel-efficient fleet of cars and trucks for 2009 than the model year before, but the vehicles Americans chose still burn considerably more fuel per mile and emit more greenhouse gases than the levels the government is targeting for 2016.
The Environmental Protection Agency for the first time on Friday released official estimates for the carbon emissions of the cars and light trucks Americans bought in the just-ended 2009 model year.
The 2009 model fleet averaged an estimated 21.1 miles per gallon, compared with 21 miles per gallon in the 2008 model year.
Carbon dioxide emissions averaged an estimated 422 grams per mile, down from 424 grams last year.
The EPA cautioned that final figures for 2009 could change.
