Bush approves CAFE standard increase.

[charrison]

Linkage

- The Bush administration approved a modest increase Thursday in fuel economy for sport utility vehicles and small trucks, beginning with the 2005 model year, administration sources said.



The change is the first since 1996, when Congress imposed a freeze on the federal fuel economy requirements on automakers.


The Transportation Department will require fuel economy for SUVs, pickup trucks and minivans to increase by about 1.5 miles per gallon over three years beginning with the model 2005 vehicles that arrive in showrooms in late 2004, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

I can only wonder if a modest increase in MPG is going to increase sales?

 

[NTB]

IMO (haven't done any research, just a gut feeling kind of thing) a mile-and-a-half per gallon increase is a drop in the bucket. Why not make it more, and spread the time to reach the max out over a few years?

Nate

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: NTB
IMO (haven't done any research, just a gut feeling kind of thing) a mile-and-a-half per gallon increase is a drop in the bucket. Why not make it more, and spread the time to reach the max out over a few years?

Nate

It is a modest increase and is easily doable at a minimal cost. Probalby most of this will come from new 6 speed autmatic trannies that will be coming out soon.

 

[Tominator]

Originally posted by: NTB
IMO (haven't done any research, just a gut feeling kind of thing) a mile-and-a-half per gallon increase is a drop in the bucket. Why not make it more, and spread the time to reach the max out over a few years?

Nate

Why have CAFE at all? It is beyond the powers granted to government as stated in The Constitution.

In reality, he bowed to political reality but enacted new standards that are REASONABLE. Something rabid environmentalists are not!

 

[StageLeft]

Pretty pathetic IMO. Instead of 1.5 over 3 years it should be like 8 over 10

 

[Tominator]

And what are your standards in Canada?

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Tominator

Originally posted by: NTB
IMO (haven't done any research, just a gut feeling kind of thing) a mile-and-a-half per gallon increase is a drop in the bucket. Why not make it more, and spread the time to reach the max out over a few years?

Nate

Why have CAFE at all? It is beyond the powers granted to government as stated in The Constitution.

In reality, he bowed to political reality but enacted new standards that are REASONABLE. Something rabid environmentalists are not!

Well I dont think a cafe standard is unconstitutional and I also think resonable MPG standards are a good thing.
Driving a car is not a right, so it can be regulated. Cars in general require regulation.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Pretty pathetic IMO. Instead of 1.5 over 3 years it should be like 8 over 10

Do you want to completely remove SUV and light trucks from the market? Or do you know how to make light weight alloys at low cost or make engines produce more power on the same gas. 8MPG over 10 years would probably be unreasonable because of the expense.

 

[NTB]

Can someone please explain to me why you're all calling it a CAFE standard? what am I missing here?

Nate

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: NTB
Can someone please explain to me why you're all calling it a CAFE standard? what am I missing here?

Nate

It is the name of the legislation that controls feul economy in cars. It stands for something....

 

[etech]

Corporate Average Fuel Economy--> Cafe

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: etech
Corporate Average Fuel Economy--> Cafe

Ah. Thank you

Nate

 

[JellyBaby]

Sounds like an achievable goal that shouldn't translate into huge prices increases for car buyers.

 

[Tominator]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Pretty pathetic IMO. Instead of 1.5 over 3 years it should be like 8 over 10

Do you want to completely remove SUV and light trucks from the market? Or do you know how to make light weight alloys at low cost or make engines produce more power on the same gas. 8MPG over 10 years would probably be unreasonable because of the expense.

Not to mention unreasonable standards would cause more deaths on the highway. When new meets old, old wins!

 

[Ornery]

"Bush approves CAFE standard increase."

• • :| Impeach the SOB! :|

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Tominator

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Pretty pathetic IMO. Instead of 1.5 over 3 years it should be like 8 over 10

Do you want to completely remove SUV and light trucks from the market? Or do you know how to make light weight alloys at low cost or make engines produce more power on the same gas. 8MPG over 10 years would probably be unreasonable because of the expense.

Not to mention unreasonable standards would cause more deaths on the highway. When new meets old, old wins!

Actually if an SUV got 30mpg, I would be buying one. A 30MPG would become a practical vehicle for many.

 

[Ornery]

"Actually if an SUV got 30mpg, I would be buying one. A 30MPG would become a practical vehicle for many."

Oh brother! At $1.25 per gallon, mileage makes that big of a difference?

 

[ScottyB]

He probably thought he was increasing "coffee" standards but read the memo wrong.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Ornery
"Actually if an SUV got 30mpg, I would be buying one. A 30MPG would become a practical vehicle for many."

Oh brother! At $1.25 per gallon, mileage makes that big of a difference?

Average vehicle: 12000 miles per year.
Typical SUV average milage: 15 mpg.
Thus typical SUV gas usage: 800 gallons per year.
SUV with 30 mpg useage: 400 gallons per year

Net savings 400 gallons per year.
Average gas price: $1.50
Thus saving 400 gallons will save you $600 per year.

Assume the vechile lasts 15 years before it is in a junk yard.
Lifetime savings: $9000. That is enough to almost buy a brand new bottom line car - just in the gas savings alone.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Ornery
"Actually if an SUV got 30mpg, I would be buying one. A 30MPG would become a practical vehicle for many."

Oh brother! At $1.25 per gallon, mileage makes that big of a difference?

Given the distance I commute to work right now, it would make a difference.

 

[Tominator]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Ornery
"Actually if an SUV got 30mpg, I would be buying one. A 30MPG would become a practical vehicle for many."

Oh brother! At $1.25 per gallon, mileage makes that big of a difference?

Average vehicle: 12000 miles per year.
Typical SUV average milage: 15 mpg.
Thus typical SUV gas usage: 800 gallons per year.
SUV with 30 mpg useage: 400 gallons per year

Net savings 400 gallons per year.
Average gas price: $1.50
Thus saving 400 gallons will save you $600 per year.

Assume the vechile lasts 15 years before it is in a junk yard.
Lifetime savings: $9000. That is enough to almost buy a brand new bottom line car - just in the gas savings alone.

And the Government would need to drastically raise taxes to make up for the shortfall. They've got you coming and going...

 

[Adul]

i think 2 over three years is possible

 

[Ornery]

First of all, you gotta get real with this hoped for increase. Many of our Nissan boyz have trouble getting close to that, especially with the dreaded "winter gas" and regular unleaded. And if the added safety, torque and comfort of a decent sized vehicle isn't worth a couple dollars extra per day... pffft!

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: ScottyB
He probably thought he was increasing "coffee" standards but read the memo wrong.

LMAO


I can see where the government can be concerned with national fuel consumption. For instance, WW2 where there was a ration system going on because the military needed the fuel. In times of shortage something must be implemented to control distribution and stabilize prices. Perhaps they know something we don't and this is a reaction to that foreknowledge.

 

[manly]

Originally posted by: charrison

Actually if an SUV got 30mpg, I would be buying one. A 30MPG would become a practical vehicle for many.

While it's hardly a scientific study, I believe Dateline NBC did a story last year where they had some researchers propose a "green" Ford Explorer. It would have similar performance and size characteristics to the market-leading SUV, but it was a 30 mpg SUV that you refer to. Obviously there were some tradeoffs to achieve fuel efficiency, namely in materials used for the frame & body IIRC.

According to the story, Ford isn't making that type of vehicle because in general, while Americans moan and groan about gas prices in the summer, they aren't actually motivated to purchase fuel-efficient vehicles. So without CAFE standards, there really is little market incentive for the automakers to redesign their gas guzzlers.

Since reducing reliance on foreign oil and cleaning up the local atmosphere are both laudable goals, I feel CAFE standards in general make a lot of good sense. Too bad Congress abandoned the program in recent years. And since SUVs are light trucks, the CAFE average fuel economy for those vehicles is relatively high. The average MPG of all vehicles sold today is higher than it was 20 years ago due to the sales of light trucks.