US fuel efficiency: no massive gains since 1923

The average fuel efficiency of a US vehicle only improved by a miniscule 1.5km/lt (or 3mpg) between 1923 and 2006, according to a comprehensive study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.

The researchers, Michael Sivak and Omer Tsimhonia, calculated the distances driven and fuel consumed by the entire US fleet (cars, motorcycles, trucks and buses) over the 83-year period, with the ultimate goal of ascertaining what would be required to achieve a given percentage reduction in the total amount of fuel consumed by all vehicles. And it makes for some fascinating reading.

In 1923, fuel efficiency was calculated at 6km/lt (according to www.gizmag.com, the model T Ford produced 10.4km/lt), but that steadily declined until it to reached a nadir of 5.2km/lt in 1973.

The reasons, at least from a car perspective, were fairly obvious: lots of hefty add-ons, and energy-sucking air-conditioning didn’t help either. In fact, the latter was probably the major wrongdoer.

In 1974, the downward spiral was averted, and the fuel efficiency figure in 2006 was 7.5km/lt – an overall increase of 25 percent since 1923.

But more tellingly, the improvements over the last decade or so have been marginal, even though people have become a lot more environmentally savvy.

According to Gizmag, the researchers believe it’s the issue of older petrol guzzling vehicles that have to be addressed, rather than newer vehicles which are already resourceful.

The researchers concluded that for the US to reduce fuel consumption by 10 percent, fuel efficiency across the entire fleet of cars, motorcycles, truck and buses would have to rise nearly two percent.

Based on recent levels of improvement, that’s shaping as a very difficult task.