When the government announced that all automakers would need to have a fleetwide fuel economy of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, many manufacturers and industry experts raised concerns that this would result in increased costs to the consumer. They claimed that the cost of technology and parts needed to facilitate the fuel efficiency improvements may outweigh the financial benefits of reducing gas consumption.

However, a recent report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found there is a high-strength steel that is both lightweight and affordable. Reducing a car's overall weight by using lighter materials can dramatically improve its fuel economy. The report indicates that for every pound the lightweight steel reduces a vehicle's weight, it costs roughly $0.46, while aluminum, which is the standard option, costs about $1.55 per pound.

"Cost models have traditionally associated a significant cost penalty with alternative materials, and this NHTSA report confirms this while demonstrating advanced high-strength steels provide significant mass reduction at the lowest possible cost," said lawrence W. Kavanagh, president of Steel Market Development Institute, a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute. "This is significant, as automakers have the challenging task of developing affordable vehicles that meet new and tightening regulations."

In addition to being cheaper and lighter, this steel proved to be safer in the study's crash tests than other materials.

"This extraordinary safety performance is due to the steel's unique ability to reinvent itself by continually expanding the range of properties and performance available to the auto design engineer," Kavanagh continued.

As engineers begin to design new vehicles, there are likely to be significant changes to automakers' lineups in coming years. Drivers who need a car now can find fuel efficient used models at New Jersey State Auto Auction. The dealer has a wide selection of makes and models to choose from, and every vehicle on the lot is CARFAX certified.