Background

Jan. 2, 2008

By the year 2020, automakers must make more fuel-efficient vehicles, including those used for towing RVs, boats, all-terrain vehicles and other sporting equipment.

President Bush signed House Resolution 6 into law on Dec. 19, 2007. A centerpiece of this energy bill is a requirement for automakers to increase their vehicle fuel efficiency. New cars, sport-utility vehicles, pickup trucks and vans must average 35 miles per gallon by 2020, a 40 percent increase.

Congress has not changed the auto mileage requirement since the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards were first implemented in 1975. CAFE is important to the RV industry because it affects the type and availability of vehicles that can be used to tow RVs and other recreation equipment, safely and legally.

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Dec. 5, 2007

Congress is considering legislation that would require automakers to make more fuel-efficient vehicles, including those used for towing RVs, boats, all-terrain vehicles and other sporting equipment.

House Resolution 2927 would, in part, increase the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. CAFE is a program that allows the federal government to set minimum fuel economy guidelines for automakers.

CAFE is important to the RV industry because it affects the type and availability of vehicles that can be used to tow RVs and other recreation equipment, safely and legally.

H.R. 2927, a bipartisan measure, would require cars to average 35 mpg and light trucks 32 mpg by model year 2022. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Another bill, H.R. 6, would require 35 mpg by model year 2020 and would not maintain separate fuel standards for cars and trucks.

RV groups such as the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) have supported H.R. 2927. RVIA maintains that the bill’s distinction between passenger cars and light trucks is important because trucks generally perform towing and hauling functions.

RVIA has asked Congress and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to consider “towing capability” when revising future CAFE standards.

Max Durbin, chairman of FMCA’s Governmental and Legislative Advisory Committee, said FMCA is committed to cooperating with RVIA in support of H.R. 2927. “At the same time, we wish to keep our members informed of fuel economy issues affecting the RV industry.”

To learn more about CAFE and how to contact your representatives in Congress, visit www.rvact.org.

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