U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Vehicle Technologies Office
Fact #280: August 11, 2003
Fines and Taxes Related to Fuel Economy, 1980–2001
The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program and the Gas Guzzler Tax program are both aimed at improving or maintaining the fuel economy of new light vehicles sold in the United States. The CAFE program fines vehicle manufacturers whose corporate average is less than 27.5 miles per gallon (mpg) for cars and 20.7 mpg for light trucks (pickups, vans, and sport utility vehicles). The Gas Guzzler Tax is collected from the public for each new car purchased with fuel economy less than 22.5 mpg. The Gas Guzzler Tax does not apply to light trucks.
The cumulative totals for collections by the two programs are:
- CAFE Fines (1983–2001): $594 million
- Gas Guzzler Tax (1980–2001): $1,557 million
Fines and Taxes Related to Fuel Economy, 1980–2001 
Supporting Information
Fines and Taxes Related to Fuel Economy, 1980–2001
| |
CAFE Fines Collected |
Gas Guzzler Taxes Collected |
| Year |
(thousands of current dollars) |
| 1980 |
- |
740 |
| 1981 |
- |
780 |
| 1982 |
- |
1,720 |
| 1983 |
58 |
4,020 |
| 1984 |
5,958 |
8,820 |
| 1985 |
15,565 |
39,790 |
| 1986 |
29,872 |
147,660 |
| 1987 |
31,261 |
145,900 |
| 1988 |
44,519 |
116,780 |
| 1989 |
47,381 |
109,640 |
| 1990 |
48,429 |
103,200 |
| 1991 |
42,243 |
118,400 |
| 1992 |
38,287 |
144,200 |
| 1993 |
28,688 |
111,600 |
| 1994 |
31,499 |
64,100 |
| 1995 |
40,787 |
73,500 |
| 1996 |
19,302 |
52,600 |
| 1997 |
36,212 |
48,200 |
| 1998 |
21,740 |
47,700 |
| 1999 |
27,516 |
68,300 |
| 2000 |
51,067 |
70,800 |
| 2001 |
33,974 |
78,200 |
| Total |
594,356 |
1,556,650 |
|
Sources: CAFE Fines: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, Washington, DC, 2003
Gas Guzzler Tax: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income Bulletin, Washington, DC, 2003 |
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