American automakers struggle to keep up with fuel-efficient vehicles as EV sales soar

American automakers are falling behind their competitors in terms of fuel efficiency, with real-world fuel economy in model year 2022 reaching only 26 miles per gallon, far from the goal of 49 miles per gallon set for 2026. The popularity of trucks and SUVs is dragging down the fuel economy of American-made cars, contributing to increased tailpipe pollution and climate change. While the emission rate of carbon dioxide from new vehicles dropped last year, trucks and SUVs offset some of that progress. American automakers have been slow to adopt fuel-saving technologies, such as turbochargers, and have been criticized for prioritizing gas guzzlers over advanced technology vehicles.