Fuel economy
Improvements in the average fuel consumption of light-duty vehicles have slowed in recent years, significantly below the rate of annual improvement needed to stay on track with global climate goals.
Read moreMeeting the target globally will mean extending the scope of standards between where they currently exist and ratcheting up their stringency where they do not. Tightening the rules governing vehicle compliance during tests, and setting up frameworks to ensure these reflect real-world driving, are essential to ensure that all stakeholders make meaningful progress. Rapid adoption of electric vehicles will also help to achieve efficiency goals.
Last updated Oct 27, 2022
Key findings
CO2 emissions from cars and vans in the Net Zero Scenario, 2000-2030
OpenAlthough improvements in fuel economy have increased, more effort needs to be done
However, a long-term trend of increasing vehicle size and power has slowed progress. Electrification has more recently emerged as the dominant technology driving down the average fuel consumption of new vehicles. To be on track with the pathway in the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario, much more rapid improvements in the fuel economy of new conventional (internal combustion engine) vehicles is needed, even as the share of electric vehicle sales will need to continue to grow.
Macroeconomic and energy indicators in the Net Zero Scenario, 2020-2030
OpenIncreasing fuel efficiency standards of all vehicle types is needed
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Our work
The Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI) – a partnership of the International Energy Agency (IEA), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Transport Forum of the OECD (ITF), the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), the Institute for Transportation Studies at the University of California-Davis, and the FIA Foundation – works to secure real improvements in fuel economy and the maximum deployment of existing fuel economy technologies in vehicles across the world.
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Created in 1990, the AFC TCP seeks to make a significant contribution to address the opportunities and barriers to fuel cell commercialisation by fostering the development of fuel cell technologies and their application on an international basis, and conveying key messages to policy makers and the wider community as appropriate.
Created in 1979, the AMT TCP focuses on materials critical to fuel efficiency improvement for current and future transportation technologies. The AMT TCP conducts co-operative research activities on friction reduction, waste heat recovery, and lightweighting of vehicles. The TCP work programme includes the development of standard test methods, testing, demonstration and design guidelines.
The mission of the AMF TCP is to advance the understanding and appreciation of the potential of advanced motor fuels towards transport sustainability. This is achieved by providing sound information and technology assessments designed to facilitate informed and science-based decisions regarding advanced motor fuels at all levels of decision-making.
The Combustion TCP provides a forum for interdisciplinary exchange and enables international collaborative research to advance the understanding of combustion processes to: accelerate the development of combustion technologies that demonstrate reduced fuel consumption and have lower pollutant emissions in transportation, power generation, industry and buildings, and; generate, compile and disseminate independent information, expertise and knowledge related to combustion for the research community, industry, policy makers and society.
