Mitigation of Emissions and Energy Consumptions due to Light-Duty Vehicle Size Increases

This paper examines how changes in vehicle sales from cars to light trucks affect fuel consumption, emissions, and consumer spending in the U.S. It finds that assumptions about the shift in sales can significantly impact these factors, with scenarios favoring more light trucks leading to higher petroleum consumption, greenhouse emissions, and consumer spending compared to official forecasts. This study suggest that adopting more electric and hybrid vehicles could help offset these increases and further align with emissions targets.