The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which represents Ford , GM, Toyota and Daimler Chrysler , endorsed a U.S. House proposal supporting a 32 mile per gallon fuel economy standard for new passenger cars by 2022. The Alliance chose to support this proposal rather than a competing proposal which required 35 mpg by 2018.
Currently, cars are required to average 27.5 mpg and SUVs/pickups/vans are required to average 22 mpg. This legislation has been in effect since the 1970s, but recent efforts by environmental groups prompted the Senate to approve a 35 mpg by 2020 standard.
The Alliance said that dramatically increased standards would increase the cost of vehicles and limit the number of large vehicle choices for consumers.
