CAFE standards, what do you support?

[Toronado3800]

Not in particular related to our favorite subject, global warming since it also lowers the demand for OPEC oil, but what do you all support for Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards?

Our current averages are 27.5 for automobiles, 20.5 for light trucks.

For the 20 or so years prior to 2007 CAFE standards remained pointlessly stagnant and thanks to a shift towards using trucks to haul shrinking American families around effective fuel economy lowered from 26.2 mpg in 1988 to 24.6 by 2004.

Thanks to the Energy Independence Act of 2007 (produced by a Democratic Congress and signed by a Republican Bush) the separate standards will be updated and raised to 35mpg by 2020.

I'm thrilled the standards are at least combined, fixing the SUV loophole.

I'm not impressed that over a period of 32 years we can only expect autos to gain 8.8mpg of efficiency assuming the average vehicle sold in 2020 gets only 35mpg. (if we were serious about lowering the value of OPEC oil and supporting our troops I'd favor 35mpg by 2015 and 40 mpg by 2020.)

Also there has been a tacked on provision to the Energy Independence Act which allows companies to sell excess fuel economy to companies which don't meet the standards. I have very mixed feelings about this. On one hand I understand the urge to economically reward any manufacturer with a fleet that averages over the requirement. On the other I don't want to allow companies making a mint selling vehicles which get cruddy fuel economy to "buy their way out of it".

I believe banking, saving, or trading is a bit convoluted and goes against the spirit of the bill to raise our standards. But I'm open to discussion showing me how it can help.

Also I understand the European Union uses 45 mpg for their current standard and has very high taxes on fuel which also encourages efficiency. Japan supposedly has higher. Although I can not find information concerning if this is a toothless regulation I recall a vague figure of 35mpg for the current European average.

 

[Skull Pilot]

I am ambivalent on regulations for fuel efficiency.

On one hand, I understand the rationale but on the other I loathe government telling private corporations what to do.

Now, although, many of you won't believe this, I am an environmentalist at heart. I donate to the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, and the World Wildlife Fund among others. I've spent a lot of dough making my home more efficient and plan to do more. I want the environment cleaner and I do my part, I just don't tell other people what to do.

But I also like my sports car and my pick up truck.

I don't know if MPG is that important as long as emissions are low. I understand the more MPG, the less fuel used but if clean air is the goal, who cares if your SUV is near zero emissions and only gets 10 MPG?

 

[RadiomanATL]

I'm for free WiFi at all cafe's.

 

[Mr. H.]

On one hand, I understand the rationale but on the other I loathe government telling private corporations what to do.

Such as the ethanol mandate?

 

[Toronado3800]

An interesting point on the low emissions vs fuel economy point Skull. I will agree clean running vehicles do less harm to the atmosphere than one which may get 40MPG but needs an open exhaust or whatever.

Thankfully clean burning engines also produce more power per liter but it is true a very efficient modern Hemi Challanger still doesn't get as good of fuel economy as a few year old Neon.

All technology even though a xx% efficient 280 horse 3800 V6 Camaro should outperform its 400 horse V8 big brother in an emissions test. Both will also get you down that 1/4 mile pretty quickly.

I'm still kicking around points on this....If the Challenger or Denali uses twice as much fuel that's twice as many oil tankers crossing the ocean...

It does leave the pro-military issue. A more fuel efficient America means less competition in the global oil market and thus less transfer of wealth from the west into Iranian pockets.

Not to mention the general rule of not giving the government more power....In this case I'm willing to admit Americans need the help of government in buying cars which don't hurt national interests so much.

(BTW, I have a 14mpg 68 Mustang just keeping the dust off my garage floor while I debate on a fuel injection kit vs a simple Carb rebuild)

 

[Mr. H.]

If folks kept their tires properly inflated, took all the useless junk out of their trunks, and brought their own body weight down to a healthy level- then we'd save more gasoline than any increase in CAFE standards.

 

[JWBooth]

Whatever it takes to allow Chrysler to bring back the 440 six pack with the dual Holly 4bbl carbs,or the 427 from Chevy, or the 460 from Ford, or the real monster the 541 Cadillac.