Vehicle fuel efficiency up

WASHINGTON (AP) – The fleet of new cars and trucks sold to U.S. consumers averaged 21 miles per gallon (9 kilometers per liter) in the 2008 model year, a modest increase over the previous year, the Environmental Protection Agency reported Friday.

New vehicle fuel efficiency improved 2 percent in 2008 from 20.6 mpg for the 2007 model year. The government projected it will improve slightly to 21.1 mpg in the 2009 model year. The EPA figures are based on real-world estimates for city and highway mileage found on window sales stickers at dealer showrooms instead of mileage values developed through laboratory testing.