In introducing tough new CAFE measures the Obama administration is hoping to kill three birds with one stone: Resolve outstanding litigation by the Big Three automakers; enhance the administration’s international credibility in the fight to slow climate change; and offer struggling US automakers a chance at salvation by embracing cutting edge technologies.
And it appears that it’s going to work. US automakers are lining up behind President Obama’s initiative to set CAFE standards for new cars at 42mpg by 2016 — even though it means that they must improve fuel efficiency by 5% per year over the next six years. That’s a formidable challenge for an industry that has been all about power and speed decades. But automakers seem heartened by having a roadmap, stimulus funding, and an ally in the President who is working to help them meet the challenges of a low-carbon economy.
More money will help. In the Waxman-Markey bill, House Democrats have proposed doubling the federal loans meant to spur fuel-efficient vehicles to $50 billion. The bill also grants cap-and-trade credits to US automakers that could be worth $20 billion.
Now the hard work begins. “There’s no mystery here as to how manufacturers could achieve the standards that have just been announced using known technologies,” says Therese Langer, Transportation Program Director at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. “Five percent is a lot [but] it’s doable.”
“We will need to use every engineer we have and every investment dollar available to make our vision of sustainable mobility a reality,” says Dave McCurdy, president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.
Environmentalists have been overjoyed by the news, and it’s easy to see why. A senior official with the administration suggests that this move will cut GHG emissions by 900 million tons over the program’s life cycle — which would be the same as closing 194 coal plants.
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* For critics who think a low-carbon economy means that we all have to wear Birkenstocks and eat granola, take another look at the Fisker Karma (photo). It isn’t cheap, at $89,000, but it is a plug-in hybrid that can travel 50 all-electric miles before an engine kicks in to recharge the batteries. It has a 403 hp powerplant, and putting the pedal to the metal will give you 0-60 time that will knock your socks off. It rolls off the production line later this year.
If you’re like most Americans, driving less than 40 miles per day, the Karma will sip less than one gallon of gas each week.
I see this all as Too Little. Too Late!
Nobody is addressing the problems we have now, and have had for decades.
We need to regulate how often people can use their automobiles.
The NOISE, Stress and fumes are intolerable.
The only way to protect yourself is to get armoured with an automobile.
Why has the Health Department not demanded regulation?
As a pedestrian, I now need ear phones, a gas mask and an inflatable suit.
Just what kool-aid are you drinking? Do you realize how many jobs will be lose? And where will we get all those engineers? If you would check, you would see that Americans aren’t exactily going into that field in droves. What if all the greenies decided to get a real science degree? Maybe you would recognize that this action along with others, will absolutely kill this country. If you dislike it so much, why not move to Europe?
Hi, nice posts there
thank’s for the interesting information