Chart of the Day: US Cars Getting More Fuel Efficient

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Autocratic forces are ascendant in America. But truth-telling independent media is one remaining bulwark against the unrestrained exercise of power. At a time when billionaire owners of corporate media are making accommodations to political leaders, our nonprofit newsroom cannot be bought or broken. Please stand with us.

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Here’s some modestly good news to start your day. (Or, if you’re on the East Coast, to start your lunch hour.) Carbon emissions from US vehicles are down considerably over the past few years. This is due to a combination of less driving and more efficient vehicles. The chart below, from the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute, tells the story. And things will get even better over the next decade, as the Obama administration’s program to increase average fuel economy to 54.5 mpg kicks in.

It’s not enough, but it’s something.