Market intelligence desk
Six questions the complete market can answer.
6 original calculations draw on the same universe: 1,204 current EPA certification records grouped into 344 normalized model families across 48 makes: and publish 232 table rows between them with no sampling and no sales weighting. Each study answers one question: drivetrain availability, electrification and rated range, the lowest annual energy-cost estimates, configuration complexity by make, EPA vehicle-class distribution, and premium-fuel exposure. Because the underlying universe is shared, the six can be read against each other, and every table is downloadable as a single JSON release so a figure can be reproduced rather than taken on trust. None of the six weights by sales volume or names a marketed trim: certification data carries no trim names.
| Study | Headline finding | Table rows |
|---|---|---|
| 004: AWD and 4WD availability across the current U.S. market → | 289 of 344 current model families have at least one AWD or 4WD certification row. | 48 |
| 005: Electrification and rated range index → | 196 current model families contain an electrified fuel or technology designation. | 41 |
| 006: Lowest current EPA annual energy-cost estimates → | The lowest published minimum in this snapshot is $500 per year for 2027 Lucid Air. | 40 |
| 007: Configuration complexity by vehicle make → | The snapshot contains 3.5 certification records per normalized family overall. | 48 |
| 008: EPA vehicle-class market map → | The current snapshot uses 20 distinct EPA vehicle-class labels. | 20 |
| 009: Premium-fuel exposure by vehicle make → | 170 current model families contain at least one premium-fuel designation. | 35 |
AWD and 4WD availability across the current U.S. market
A make-by-make census of model families with at least one all-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive EPA certification row.
289 of 344 current model families have at least one AWD or 4WD certification row.Open method and complete table →Study 005Electrification and rated range index
Which makes have current hybrid, plug-in, battery-electric or fuel-cell configurations, with the highest positive electric-range field in the snapshot.
196 current model families contain an electrified fuel or technology designation.Open method and complete table →Study 006Lowest current EPA annual energy-cost estimates
The 40 model families with the lowest minimum standardized annual fuel or electricity cost in the current dataset.
The lowest published minimum in this snapshot is $500 per year for 2027 Lucid Air.Open method and complete table →Study 007Configuration complexity by vehicle make
A reproducible measure of how many EPA certification records and labels sit behind the average current model family for each make.
The snapshot contains 3.5 certification records per normalized family overall.Open method and complete table →Study 008EPA vehicle-class market map
How current model families, makes, certification records and option labels distribute across EPA regulatory vehicle classes.
The current snapshot uses 20 distinct EPA vehicle-class labels.Open method and complete table →Study 009Premium-fuel exposure by vehicle make
The makes and current families with at least one premium-designated fuel certification row.
170 current model families contain at least one premium-fuel designation.Open method and complete table →Machine-readable release
Download all six calculated tables.
The JSON release includes study titles, findings, column definitions, rows and methodology. Cite The Vehicle Standard and the underlying FuelEconomy.gov dataset.
- 6 studies, 232 published table rows, one shared certification universe.
- Calculated from 1,204 EPA records across 344 model families and 48 makes.
- No sampling and no sales weighting: every current family is included.
- Certification data carries no trim names; these measure configurations.
Reading the result
How to read this series
One dataset, six questions
Every study in this series draws on the same universe: 1,204 EPA certification records grouped into 344 normalized model families across 48 makes. Nothing is sampled and nothing is weighted.
Because the universe is shared, the studies can be read against each other. A make that leads on configuration complexity and also shows universal all-wheel-drive availability is telling you something specific about how its lineup is built, and the 232 published table rows let you check it, not take it on faith.
- Same certification universe behind all six studies
- No sampling, no sales weighting, no editorial selection
- Each study publishes its own definitions and limits
- All tables downloadable as a single JSON release
Why certification records instead of brochures
Manufacturer material describes what a vehicle can be. Certification records describe what was actually tested and approved for sale, configuration by configuration, using a method applied identically to every manufacturer.
That consistency is what makes cross-brand comparison possible at all. A brochure figure for one vehicle and a brochure figure for a rival are frequently measured differently or quoted for different configurations; certification records are not.
- A single test method applied to every manufacturer
- Configuration-level, not nameplate-level
- Published by federal agencies and independently verifiable
- No marketing selection of the most favourable number
What the series deliberately does not do
It does not weight by sales volume, so a specialty maker with one model carries the same row as a full-line manufacturer. It does not cover price, availability, reliability or what sits on a dealer lot.
And it does not translate configurations into trims, because the source data does not contain trim names. Every study states these limits on its own page instead of leaving a reader to infer them.
Common questions
Frequently asked
What is in the market intelligence series?
6 studies with 232 published table rows, all calculated from 1,204 current EPA certification records across 344 normalized model families.
What questions do the studies answer?
Drivetrain availability across the market, electrification and rated range, the lowest annual energy-cost estimates, configuration complexity by make, the EPA vehicle-class distribution, and premium-fuel exposure.
Where does the data come from?
U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency certification records published at FuelEconomy.gov, snapshot updated 2026-09-24, covering the 2025 and 2026 model years for the United States market.
Can I download the tables?
Yes. The JSON release includes every study's title, headline finding, column definitions, complete rows and methodology, so any figure can be reproduced or challenged.
Do these studies tell me about a specific trim?
No. EPA certifies configurations instead of trims, and certification records carry no marketed trim names. These studies describe how much variation exists within a nameplate; the original window sticker records what a specific vehicle has.