Political Economy

Letter grades proposed for fuel efficiency

The Obama administration is proposing to give automobiles letter grades ranging from A to D based on their fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions.

The proposal comes as regulators are preparing to revamp the familiar fuel economy stickers to accommodate new hybrid and electric vehicles.

Officials with the Environmental Protection Agency are soliciting public reaction to the letter-grade labels as well as another label that resembles the current one. The label with the letter grade features it with a large font and bold colors.

"The first label is a bit different than the current label. The first thing you'll notice - and it's going to jump out at you - is that it has a letter grade," said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator at the EPA.

Among the critics of the letter grades are automakers, which say that although they support giving consumers information, they would prefer that the consumers get the numerical information about mileage and emissions and that the government refrain from boiling that down to a letter grade.

"The grades carry such a connotation of school days and of passing and failing," said Gloria Bergquist, a vice president of the Auto Alliance, an industry group. "We weren't sure that is the right yardstick to be using."