Little-Acorn
Well-Known Member
Obama is announcing new, superhigh gas mileage standards for all cars.
Such standards can be met in several ways:
1.) Making smaller, lighter cars. These are proven to be more dangerous for their occupants in crashes, than larger, heavier cars with equivalent safety equipment. How many more deaths and injuries will we see with these cars, as a consequence of saving how many gallons of oil? And what mathematics did the bureaucrats go through, to determine that this many gallons of oil are worth that many increased deaths?
2.) Building more hybrid cars. Being more complex technologically, these cars of course cost significantly more than an equivalent gasoline-only car. Mr. Obama has apparently decided for each one of us, that spending $5,000 or more extra on a car with no better performance or accommodation, rather than on our son's college or a new bedroom for the baby or granny's hip replacement surgery, is the correct way to spend our money. Funny, I don't recall him even asking me before making that decision for me.
3.) Building electric-only cars. These have long charge time and limited range, especially in cold climates where their range shrinks to uselessness, except for models costing four or five times as much as today's econocars. Even in benign climates, a one-day trip from San Diego to Sacramento to see Granny turns into a three-day (each way) voyage, requiring long stops and motel stays while the car recharges. In other words, a lot of trips get cancelled... unless you buy a second car to make up for the electric's limitations!
Automakers are happy, of course, with a law that forces everybody to buy more expensive cars from them.
Liberal extremism strikes again! It's for your own good, though. Trust them.
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http://content.usatoday.com/communi...-tough-new-gas-mileage-standards----545-mpg/1
Obama announces 54.5 mpg gas mileage standard
by Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY
Updated 4m ago
President Obama is announcing tough fuel-economy standards starting in the 2017 model year, requiring automakers to average 54.5 miles a gallon.
The standard is sure to force dramatic changes in cars, making them smaller, lighter and loaded with higher-technology engines like hybrids, diesels or other fuel savers. The standard is so tough that relatively few models would meet it.
Because of the way fuel economy is calculated, window sticker labels of estimated fuel economy of individual models will be lower. Those labels will probably show values of about 40 mpg, says Roland Hwang, transportation director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. "Because of the differences between the laboratory certification test cycle and the on-road fuel efficiency, drivers can expect to see the average window fuel economy label to be about 40 mpg, compared to today's average of about 22.5 mpg," Hwang writes.
There are fears that the standard will force automakers to produce small cars that families won't want to buy -- or that cars will become too expensive:
"There is a realistic fear that the trigger for price increases will come from more than the new required technologies, and also by the automakers rationing demand through pricing in order to comply," says Jeremy Anwyl, CEO of Edmunds.com, a car-buying research website.
The new standard is the follow-up to the 35.5 corporate fuel average being phased in through the 2016 model year. Currently, automakers average less than 30 miles a gallon.
(Ful text of the article can be read at the above URL)
Such standards can be met in several ways:
1.) Making smaller, lighter cars. These are proven to be more dangerous for their occupants in crashes, than larger, heavier cars with equivalent safety equipment. How many more deaths and injuries will we see with these cars, as a consequence of saving how many gallons of oil? And what mathematics did the bureaucrats go through, to determine that this many gallons of oil are worth that many increased deaths?
2.) Building more hybrid cars. Being more complex technologically, these cars of course cost significantly more than an equivalent gasoline-only car. Mr. Obama has apparently decided for each one of us, that spending $5,000 or more extra on a car with no better performance or accommodation, rather than on our son's college or a new bedroom for the baby or granny's hip replacement surgery, is the correct way to spend our money. Funny, I don't recall him even asking me before making that decision for me.
3.) Building electric-only cars. These have long charge time and limited range, especially in cold climates where their range shrinks to uselessness, except for models costing four or five times as much as today's econocars. Even in benign climates, a one-day trip from San Diego to Sacramento to see Granny turns into a three-day (each way) voyage, requiring long stops and motel stays while the car recharges. In other words, a lot of trips get cancelled... unless you buy a second car to make up for the electric's limitations!
Automakers are happy, of course, with a law that forces everybody to buy more expensive cars from them.
Liberal extremism strikes again! It's for your own good, though. Trust them.
-------------------------------------------
http://content.usatoday.com/communi...-tough-new-gas-mileage-standards----545-mpg/1
Obama announces 54.5 mpg gas mileage standard
by Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY
Updated 4m ago
President Obama is announcing tough fuel-economy standards starting in the 2017 model year, requiring automakers to average 54.5 miles a gallon.
The standard is sure to force dramatic changes in cars, making them smaller, lighter and loaded with higher-technology engines like hybrids, diesels or other fuel savers. The standard is so tough that relatively few models would meet it.
Because of the way fuel economy is calculated, window sticker labels of estimated fuel economy of individual models will be lower. Those labels will probably show values of about 40 mpg, says Roland Hwang, transportation director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. "Because of the differences between the laboratory certification test cycle and the on-road fuel efficiency, drivers can expect to see the average window fuel economy label to be about 40 mpg, compared to today's average of about 22.5 mpg," Hwang writes.
There are fears that the standard will force automakers to produce small cars that families won't want to buy -- or that cars will become too expensive:
"There is a realistic fear that the trigger for price increases will come from more than the new required technologies, and also by the automakers rationing demand through pricing in order to comply," says Jeremy Anwyl, CEO of Edmunds.com, a car-buying research website.
The new standard is the follow-up to the 35.5 corporate fuel average being phased in through the 2016 model year. Currently, automakers average less than 30 miles a gallon.
(Ful text of the article can be read at the above URL)
