Emissions Information

Fuel Economy Calculator

Calculate and compare fuel economy and CO2 emissions

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Reducing Emissions from our Vehicles

The emissions of CO2 from our cars and light trucks have decreased significantly since the mid-1970s as fuel efficiency has increased.

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Since the mid-1960s, vehicle tailpipe emissions of hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) have significantly decreased. In the United States and Canada, HC, CO and NOx of passenger cars have decreased by 99 percent, 96 percent, and 95 percent, respectively.

Since 1990, CO2 emissions from our cars and light trucks in the U.S. and Canada have been relatively constant, as consumers have chosen larger vehicles with more features and more powerful engines, offsetting much of our fuel economy gains.

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  • Greenhouse Gases

    What are Greenhouse Gases?

    Gaseous emissions from fossil fuel combustion, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), in the atmosphere trap heat on the earth's surface, as panes of glass trap heat in a greenhouse. Many gases exhibit these “greenhouse” properties. Some of them occur in nature (water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide), while others are exclusively human-made (like gases used for aerosols).

    Read more about greenhouse gas emissions in the United States from the U.S. Energy Information Association >>