Report: Obama kicks off drive to enact tough fuel economy standards through 2025

A year ago, the White House led the effort to get automakers' Corporate Average Fuel Economy to 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016. Although the number was eventually pegged at 34.1 mpg, it will actually be slightly lower because of other non-automotive credits that will be applied. One might have thought automakers would still be grousing the work that needs to be done, but in fact they encouraged the federal government to go further, and so it has: the White House began working this week on setting CAFE standards through 2025.

The reason for this? The Golden State. Just after last year's 2016 CAFE numbers were announced, California said it would work on "a much more stringent standard" for 2017 and afterward. Automakers urged the feds to head the California Air Resources Board off at the pass in order to stay ahead of state initiatives, thereby quashing the chance that different laws would hit the books.

The EPA and DOT have just gotten to work on crafting new standards, so it will probably be another year before new numbers come out. For you folks with large-capacity, high-horsepower engines, you might want to take this chance to rev 'em if ya got 'em.

[Source: Detroit Free Press | Image: AFP/Getty]

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