In the next few years it is expected that fuel economy standards will be imposed on new medium and heavy trucks sold in the U.S. Currently, the estimates of the medium and heavy truck population range from a high of 15 miles per gallon (mpg) for class 2b trucks to a low of 2.5 mpg for class 8a trucks. The chart below shows the range of fuel economy for medium and heavy trucks. Descriptions of the vehicle classes are in the table below.
Fuel Economy Ranges for Light and Heavy Vehicles
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Note: See supporting information for vehicle class description.
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Supporting Information
| Vehicle Class | Vehicle Class Description | Fuel Economy Range (mpg) |
|---|---|---|
| 2b | Large Pickup, Utility Van, Multi-purpose, Mini-bus, Step Van | 10 - 15 |
| 3 | Utility Van, Multi-purpose, Mini-bus, Step Van | 8 - 13 |
| 4 | City Delivery, Parcel Delivery, Large Walk-in, Bucket, Landscaping | 7 - 12 |
| 5 | City Delivery, Parcel Delivery, Large Walk-in, Bucket | 6 - 12 |
| 6 | City Delivery, School Bus, Large Walk-in, Bucket | 5 - 12 |
| 7 | City Bus, Furniture, Refrigerated, Refuse, Fuel Tanker, Dump, Tow Concrete, Fire Engine, Tractor-trailer | 4 - 8 |
| 8a | Dump, Refuse, Concrete, Furniture, City Bus, Tow, Fire Engine (Straight Trucks) | 2.5 - 6 |
| 8b | Tractor-trailer, Van, Refrigerated, Bulk Tanker, Flat Bed (Combination Trucks) | 4 - 7.5 |
Source: National Academy of Sciences, Technologies and Approaches to Reducing the Fuel Consumption of Medium and Heavy-Duty Vehicles, prepublication copy, March 2010, pp. 2-2 and 2-3. | ||