President Barack Obama unveiled a government push on Friday to boost auto fuel economy for model-year 2017 passenger vehicles and beyond, and introduce a truck efficiency target for the first time.
Obama's policy initiative was characterized by leading environmental groups as an especially welcome step in the wake of the BP Plc Gulf Coast oil spill.
"I believe it's possible in the next 20 years for vehicles to use half the fuel and produce half the pollution that they do today," Obama said at a White House ceremony.
Separately, Canada announced similar steps for heavy trucks and hopes to propose a draft regulation within several months.
Cars and trucks account for more than 60 percent of U.S. oil consumption and more than 25 percent of domestic carbon pollution, environmental statistics show.
David Doniger, policy director for the Climate Center at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said tougher standards for cars and the first-ever efficiency goals for trucks will save consumers billions of dollars in fuel costs.
"These are important steps to cut our oil dependence and carbon pollution," Doniger said in a statement.
The new rules for passenger cars, sport utilities, pickups and vans will be carried out by transportation and environmental regulators.
California, a leader in the effort to curb vehicle emissions, will play an important role in developing an efficiency framework for the rule that will run from 2017-25.
The Obama administration in April completed regulations for passenger vehicles that will require a 30 percent decrease in carbon emissions and a 42 percent increase in auto fuel efficiency to 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016.
Automakers sought assurances in recent weeks that the Obama administration would seek to extend federal oversight of those standards beyond the 2016 time frame.
Industry believes anything less than a firm government commitment on the subject would open the door to competing state standards that could vary from region to region, complicate product planning and add heavy costs.
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