General Motors Vehicles Averaged 23 MPG In 2020
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General Motors’ fleetwide average fuel economy sat at 23 MPG in 2020 – tying it with fellow American auto giant Ford Motor Company.
According to a recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report, GM’s fleetwide average fuel economy rating was roughly two and a half points behind the industry average last year, which sat at 25.4 mpg.
Tesla had the highest fleetwide average fuel economy in 2020, as it makes electric vehicles only and thus only sells carbon credits to other automakers. Honda averaged 29.1 mpg, which was the highest fleetwide average fuel economy rating among automakers that build internal combustion engine vehicles. Tesla, Honda and Subaru were also the only automakers to meet the required fleetwide average fuel economy rating without purchasing carbon credits from other automakers.
The fleetwide average fuel economy of a GM vehicle is projected to fall to 21.5 mpg for 2021, which is predicted to be the lowest fleetwide average fuel economy of any automaker for that year. Stellantis is projected to have a fleetwide average fuel economy rating of 21.6 mpg for 2021, while Ford will lead the way among the Detroit Big Three with a score of 22.7 mpg.
Not surprisingly, the Detroit Big Three have the lowest average fuel economy ratings in the industry. This is because GM, Ford and Stellantis sell full-size pickup trucks and SUVs more than any other vehicle type, many of which feature larger displacement V8 or turbocharged six-cylinder engines. While GM and Ford are set to release more EVs in the coming years, this will likely have a negligible effect on their fleetwide average fuel economy ratings, as internal combustion engine trucks and SUVs will still serve as the bread and butter of their businesses.
The EPA report also found that the average vehicle weight in 2020 rose to another all-time high of 4,166 pounds, while the average horsepower output and size of vehicles both also set new all-time records.
While many new EVs are more eco-friendly than their gasoline and diesel counterparts, some remain overly heavy and unnecessarily powerful, which can still result in more wasted energy in the end. The upcoming GMC Hummer EV First Edition, for example, produces over 1,000 horsepower and weighs more than 9,000 pounds.
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Well, i mean, don’t they lead in truck and SUV sales? I mean, not like those are fuel miser vehicles.
Right, so the non-clickbait analysis would be GM bettered/met/missed it’s CAFE requirements by x%, since CAFE takes into account the physical size of the vehicle.
No GM isn’t leading in full size truck sales, Ford still owns that … and if an when Ford gets it act together and gets the Maverick into the public’s hands, their share will only increase. GM (as well as Ford and Chrysler) has got to cut off all the performance nonsense and get into fuel efficient trucks, it can be done. There is no reason the big three should not have a full sized, reg cab pickup that can tow 4,000 to 5,000 pounds and not get at least 24 mpg around town and close to 30 mpg on the interstate. Currently the Ford Ranger an GM’s Colorado/Canyon are close to those mpg numbers, but cost make people look more at full size trucks.
By all of the articles and research, Ford may sell a lot of F-150’s, but, GM still leads the industry in OVERALL truck sales. Ford NEVER owned that. That was a valiant effort, though. Nice Try.
It’s the loss of Equinox, Terrain, XT4, and small Buicks SUVs, whose production was shut down for the better part of 6 months, that will hurt them for 2021. 2022 will be better with a normal product mix, and will improve after that as EVs come on line in volume.
EV’s won’t save GM. Especially with people not buying them in large numbers.
Meanwhile GM discontinued the 50+ mpg Chevy Cruze Diesel & the Equinox/Terrain Diesel.
Such a poorly run automaker that has no clue about the environment.
They are bringing it back 2024
Yeah. Well. GM needs to build hybrids and turbo V6’s to get rid of the AFM/DFM V8’s and lifter problems.
In the meantime, Ford builds the Godzilla V8 to improve HD fuel performance. Turbos suck. They suck air and suck fuel. A turbo is a cheat, small incremental fuel economy if you drive no more than 65 mph. Ford built the Godzilla because V8’s are more efficient under work load. Remember GM’s old V8’s without active aero and a bigger frontal cross section are keeping up with Ecoburst engines.
GM and Ford are building and offering what the BUYERS want. Although I find it difficult to comprehend, people just love buying big trucks and SUV’s. Let’s take all the V8 powered vehicles out of the mix and then see how GM does against pathetic Honda.
Articles like this are really kind of silly based on the slanted numbers.
Weird that the Chevy Cruze was selling over 100,000 units when GM just decided to discontinue it. Zero marketing done to help sell the very fuel efficient diesel models they had.
They can enjoy the CAFE fines for their incompetence. Honda is selling record numbers of civics and won’t be having to waste $$ on carbon offsets.
Plus lets see how long this Truck Fad last with Gas Prices where they are today.
Yep, 100,000 units in a plant capable of building 250,000. I wonder why the math didn’t make sense to continue. I also note that in 2017 Honda sold 377,000 Civics in the US, last year was 261,000. So when you say record numbers of Civics, you are referring to what exactly? GM trucks offer diesel and four cylinder options for fuel economy focused customers if fuel prices stay high, they also have mid-size trucks. They also have a whole slew of SUVs from the Encore/Trax on up. So if consumer tastes shift to smaller more fuel efficient options GM has them covered. No one predicts people shifting back into sedans so not having the Cruze won’t hurt GM in the future.
377,000 Civics? Proof enough gm should’ve continued innovating competitive compact cars rather than giving up the farm. Wait til gas hits $6.00 a gallon and watch all the Biden malaise strapped families flock to electric cars. Not.
Looks like Honda and Toyota (not to mention Hyundai-Kia) are set to make a killing in the near future as gm blows smoke about saving the planet while flooding the market with oversized, comparatively inefficient trucks offset by costly EVs few either want nor can afford.
Many of today’s trendy SUV buyers will soon be seeing the light just like earlier generations did during the 1970s fuel crunch when Americans dumped their beloved dinosaurs in droves and began flocking to Honda and Toyota for rational, affordable, economical transportation. History repeats and once again, gm will be without a competitive product..
How would you do rational, affordable, economical when cars are so overburdened with regulation and tech anymore? They could & should try, but they won’t just jump into a leadership spot. I’ve driven a lot of appliance GM cars, many brick shaped with 2 valve motors that did great actual mpg. I wouldn’t validate a $22k+ Civic ripoff purchase as economical. Or trust that EPA rules help spec anybodies car well.
Ah classic enabling of poor corporate mismanagement.
Such an American thing to do.
No wonder the world is leaving America behind.
Oh and the Trax and other baby crossovers don’t compare to the fuel efficiency of Sedans.
That old lie that crossovers are almost as fuel efficient as sedans needs to end.
GM makes too many large V8 and V6 engines. But as they convert to electrics, their average will improve.
And who wants electric——–where are we going to get power from to charge 200’000 electric vehicles every day?
I would have thought Stelantis would be the lowest since they have been putting Hemi’s and Hellcats in every model
I have a 2003 GMC 2500HD 145K MILES SLT 6L 4L80E. Only 1 minor problem in all these years.
Can anyone with the 6.2 in a half ton, tell me real world M.P.G. thankyou.
It is silly to compare automakers who sell full-sized trucks and SUV’s with those who don’t. It’s apples and oranges and not fair. Plus, the headline misleads those who don’t read the entire article to finally get the real facts. I am fine with GM’s fleet and MPG average, with two exceptions, I wish they still made the Impala and they badly need something to compete with the Jeep!
Which morron came up with the line in this article—-Honda leads the mpg race?
Of course they will be better, they don’t build a vehicle that holds more than 2 people and their dog and half their luggage.
My 21 Silverado 3.0 Duramax averages 34 and has topped out at 40.9 ( crew cab )
That is mighty impressive. Too bad only a small percentage of buyers are astute enough to opt for the 3.0 Duramax. The best I’ve seen from my Cruze RS 1.6 diesel hatch is 51.4mpg with a real world winding hill country roads average of about 35mpg. Fuel efficiency is freedom. I’m not missing all those trips to the gas station, I’ll tell you that.
It’s hard to believe how short sited gm is with Mary at the helm.
My Colorado diesel gets 32 and I have a very heavy foot.
But 2022 is the last year for the Colorado Diesel…. Can you say idiots ?
Todays diesels are very efficient and extremely non polluting….
I been saying this a lot lately…. My Colorado diesel gets 50% better milage than a Ford Ranger
Ranger 21mpg
Colorado Diesel min 32
50% better mpg
GM needs new blood and to be proud to print there name as GM not gm