2016 may seem like it is pretty far away, but trust me, it’ll be here in no time. And with that year comes a new standard of fuel efficiency for light trucks and SUVs that was recently mandated by the government. The new fuel efficiency standard for the the light truck category, which includes SUVs, must get at least 28 miles per gallon.
Don’t get me wrong I think that improving fuel efficiency is fantastic. However, I’m not sure how realistic it will be actually meet the goal when the majority of SUVs get an average of around 16 miles per gallon. And the SUV segment is undoubtedly the most popular vehicles for towing recreational vehicles such as travel trailers, fifth-wheels and pop-ups, .
Truck and SUV manufacturers are going to need to design fuel efficient vehicles that don’t compromise their towing capabilities otherwise we may be in for some trouble! The latest reports show that of all recreational vehicles sales, 80% are towables and only about 10% is motorhomes.
The big question is, if you are going to purchase a new light truck or SUV in 2016, will it be able to tow a travel trailer or fifth-wheel? Thankfully, the RV manufactures are also taking note of this new fuel efficiency standard and are constantly coming up with new designs to make travel trailers or fifth-wheels lighter to possibly accommodate lower towing capacities if needed.
“There’s a concern that the availability to the consumer of vehicles that are able to tow the products we build will be less accessible in the future,” said Bontrager. “And it’s just not our industry, think of the horse trailer industry, and construction industry, we still need products out of Detroit if you will, to be able to tow many different forms of RV’s or trailers or whatever it might be.” (WNDU)
It will be very interesting to see how everyone invents new ideas and new ways and designs to not only meet the new fuel efficiency standards but how other industries will have to adapt as well.
How do you think the new fuel efficiency standard will affect your travel trailer or fifth-wheel RVing lifestyle? Post your comment below and as always stop by any convenient ExplorerUSA RV Supercenter!
