Not All Fuel Standards Are Created Equal

Is it just me, or is the solution to this a no-brainer: calculate the required efficiency per MODEL rather than per AUTOMAKER!

It could be done similar to Europe and set the standard based on engine capacity, i.e. so many mpg per cc of engine size.

You could have various levels and would then be able to adjust to promote better fuel consumption in specific markets like SUV's whilst maintaining real world targets. 1Liter and below 25mpg, 1 to 2 liters 40mpg, 2 to 3 liters 35 etc etc.

Even better, we could just let the market decide and not place any government regulations for MPG. With gas at $3.60 people will start paying attention to the MPG more than they used to, and companies will take notice and produce cars that are as efficient as possible.

Hate to say it, but I think that rationing makes a lot more sense than all of this mpg business. There would be plenty of arguements about what rationing plan was fair, but it has the following advantages
1. Takes effect immediately -- these mpg standards will take years to have significant impact due to the fact that existing vehicles will be used for a long time
2. Encourages behavioral changes -- car pools, buses, bikes, not going
3. Lets market forces drive vehicle tech and type. More folks will probably opt for the highest mpg car that will meet their needs. Also, whoever can deliver the best mpg at a reasonable price will grab that market segment.

The mpg control seems a lot like the old Soviet centralized economy control. It was driven by planners, rather than need.
Didn't work out in the end.

What every one is forgetting is that this mad rush for fuel efficiency from auto makers, governments and every one is only because of market forces.

If Oil had never hid $100 a barrel, every one would be happily talking about some other world ending problem.

There has been more developments and actual action over fuel efficiency in the last couple of years than for decades, and all this before any regulations came in. Every big car manufacturer is already developing better engines, hybrids and a heap of other developments.

With things as they are, why not let the market forces that did so much actually fix this problem. After all how do you regulate the mpg of the eventual electric are that comes out that takes one gallon of oil to generate electricity to power it a mile.

Its not like I can afford a Porsche, but I'd still like to have it around.

Interresting how you all get excited about the fuel efficency, and actually think Hybrid is the solution.
I lived in Europe until 8 Years ago, and thought my car was inefficient compared to most of the cars out there. It was doing about 9Litters per 100Km, that averages at 26M/gallon. Of course it was a bigger Engine for Europe with a 2Litter Engine and 155Hp, but despite the low Hp compared to any car in the US it drove witout forcing 220Km/h=137Mph (I drove a lot in Germany). I actually had it equipped on propane/butane, to lower the cost of driving it. I had many friends who had Volkswagen, audi, Nissan, Toyota, who with ease had cars in the normal range for europe on gas averaging at 6L/100Km ( 39.5Mpg). Of course the Models in Europe, while being the same do not use the same engines as the cars in the US, the average all between 1200cc and 1600cc and between 80Hp to 11oHp, however they all drive more sporty than most of the cars with engines over 2.5L in the US.

This said, I have the impression that the car-industry in the US does keep the public ignorant, and having the technology available without Hybrid does not think that the American public is ready for a change to efficient yet much cheaper than Hybrid solutions.

In Europe the Car industry has been forced to go that route simply because of the Yearly Taxes that are paid based on Engine size and Hp, whatever is higher, and the price of gas. believe it or not but the $3.5/Gallon still sounds like heck of a deal in Europe, where they are arround 1.5Euro per Quart of a Gallon.

Porsche has controlling interest in VW. Some sort of merger might solve their problem.

I agree that people must not reallize how poorly auto manufacturers are designing engines. Anyone remember the Toyota Starlet in the US in the 1980s that got an avg of 45 mpg for our family and it was not a hybrid? I'll admit it was not a peppy ride, but it proves you can make a non-hybrid engine that doesn't guzzle fuel. The fact that these new hybrids don't even get as a good a gas mileage as that old car did over 20 years ago is really sad and should be embarrassing for auto manufacturers. What have they accomplished in 20 years besides adding i-phone jacks and bluetooth for our phones? The new fuel standards seem to encourage and reward large manufacturers of less efficient vehicles which doesn't make sense. Standards based on engine capacity sounds much smarter.

This is will only encourage the manufacturers who've had an easy ride since the seventies fuel crisis. They've kept the money that should have been invested in R&D and lobbied politicians to stay out of the regulation area.

Ford2go, the only reason there isn't rationing is that there IS capacity in the system, why else would it be 20 or 30 years since the last refinery was built?

@Nicole Ridgway: Actually, gasoline engines are far more efficient and far less polluting than they've ever been. That old Starlet got great mileage because it only weighed about 1,600 pounds. The smallest Toyota these days, the Yaris, weighs almost 700 pounds more, at 2,290 pounds, and gets 29/36 mpg. All that weight is from the increased structural integrity and other safety requirements modern cars have. The Yaris also meets far more stringent emissions requirements, so it's way cleaner to operate than that Starlet as well.

Thank you for the link to the NHTSA. I sent them an email.

My Public Feedback: Instead of automakers having to meet an overall requirement, there should be a requirement for trucks and a separate requirement for cars. In other words, instead of an overall requirement, each manufacturer should have an "overall cars" requirement and a separate "overall trucks" requirement. Many people use trucks to move heavy objects and to tow trailers. As a result, truck engines are completely different from compact car engines. Trucks have a function - move heavy objects! Compact cars have a function - move a 140 to 180 lb person, as efficiently as possible. Because these vehicles are completely different, we need to recognize that they should not be thrown into the same category of "overall fuel economy." There needs to be two separate categories!

For those of you that keep saying THIS IS ONLY ABOUT ECONOMICS, YOU'RE WRONG! The April 2008 issue of Popular Mechanics has a whole article on oil. Based all of today's currently known oil reserves, and based on today's global consumption levels, the earth only holds enough oil to last us until about 2025 to 2030. With the increase in demand, globally, we only have until about 2024. It would be stupid to wait until later. We need to start making changes now!

If you are reading this, you have been BURNINATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The whole Idea of a government based progam regulating car production is one giant leap backward for democracy. If automakers want to make low MPG cars like hummers, I say why not. If people are willing to pay for the car and the cost of the gas, that's their problem. Nobody can say "you can't buy that car because the MPG is two low". But what if we need something powerful and big that can carry a load? I hate gas prices as much as anybody but our purchases should not have to be screened by government officials.

قصص -
مدونة
مسجات جوال
تسريحات -
فساتين سهرة -
ديكور -
صور ماسنجر -