Benjamin Leard

Working Paper — Mar 31, 2020

Have US Fuel Economy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards Improved Social Welfare?

This paper provides the first comprehensive social welfare estimates of recent fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards.

Working Paper — Feb 5, 2020

What Does Ridesharing Replace?

Ridesharing tends to replace private car, taxi, or walking trips and has led to modest increases in total vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions.

Working Paper — Nov 20, 2019

California’s Evolving Zero Emission Vehicle Program: Pulling New Technology into the Market

California’s Zero Emission Vehicle program was created to bring electric vehicles to the market. The program has succeeded in some ways and struggled in others, and new major changes to the requirements will require more cost-effective, consistent approaches than have been used in the past.

Report — Jun 14, 2017

How Much Do Consumers Value Fuel Economy and Performance? Evidence from Technology Adoption

Current US passenger vehicle fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards will roughly double fuel economy and cut emissions. Recently tightened standards have reduced fuel costs, but have had roughly zero net effect on consumer well-being.

Working Paper — Mar 31, 2020

Have US Fuel Economy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards Improved Social Welfare?

This paper provides the first comprehensive social welfare estimates of recent fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards.

Working Paper — Feb 5, 2020

What Does Ridesharing Replace?

Ridesharing tends to replace private car, taxi, or walking trips and has led to modest increases in total vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions.

Press Release — Aug 22, 2019

New Blog: Will Colorado Achieve its Electric Car Goal?

In a new blog, Benjamin Leard and Clayton Munnings review Colorado's ZEV program and its chance of succeeding.

Media Highlight — May 31, 2019

"Limit eased on summer ethanol sales"

RFF's Ben Leard spoke with Marketplace about how the expansion of ethanol sales can affect land use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Press Release — Feb 26, 2019

Two New Reports and a Blog on Vehicle Issues

The Proposed Rollback of Fuel Economy Standards Ignores Their Societal Benefits

Despite ongoing attempts to weaken the Obama-era guidelines, fuel economy standards have offered more benefits than costs to consumers.

Credit Trading Accelerates as Passenger Vehicle Fuel Economy and Greenhouse Gas Standards Tighten

RFF Senior Fellow Virginia McConnell and Fellow Benjamin Leard explore how incorporating credit trading is necessary to understand the costs and benefits of national fuel economy standards.

The California ZEV Program: A Long and Bumpy Road, but Finally Some Success

A history of California's Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program, in three separate phases of the program's evolution.