BALTIMORE – The government set tighter gas mileage rules Wednesday for pickups and sport utility vehicles – including bulky SUVs like the Hummer H2 and Chevrolet Suburban – responding to rising concern about the supply and cost of energy from abroad.

The new fuel economy rules, covering 2008 through 2011, would save 10.7 billion gallons of fuel over the lifetime of the vehicles sold during that period and take a more aggressive stance than an administration proposal issued last summer, officials said.

“The new standards represent the most ambitious fuel economy goals for light trucks ever developed in the program’s 27-year history,” said Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta.

The new regulations followed President Bush’s declaration in January that the United States is “addicted to oil,” and his call for a 75 percent reduction in Mideast oil imports by 2025. Manufacturers will begin implementing the rules as average gas prices exceed $2.50 a gallon and many consumers are seeking more fuel-efficient vehicles such as hybrids and flexible-fuel pickups and SUVs.

U.S. automakers, notably General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co., have struggled in recent months, outlining plans to reduce their work force as they deal with shrinking market share, higher costs for labor and raw materials and intense competition from Asian competitors.

Mineta said the plan was “pragmatic” and devised with jobs and costs in mind, along with the benefits of conserving fuel. Automakers will need to closely scrutinize their product lineup to meet the standards, which are the most sweeping to the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) system in three decades.

“This is challenging and it won’t be easy to meet these standards but manufacturers are committed to being a part of the solution,” said Charles Territo, spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

The rule would include SUVs weighing 8,500 to 10,000 pounds for the first time starting in 2011, but would not include large pickup trucks in the weight class.