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NHTSA proposes annual fuel economy increases

NHTSA proposes annual fuel economy increases

Kenneth Hall February 22nd, 2008 Kenneth Hall By Kenneth Hall Author February 22nd, 2008
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December 31st, 1969 The U.S. government has already voted in favour of forcing carmakers to lift their fleet average fuel consumption figure to 35mpg by 2020 but what the feds didn’t outline was what interim fuel economy targets will come into effect in the meantime. This uncertainly forced a number of carmakers to put development plans for several new models on hold, most notably GM and its RWD sedan and sports car program. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has now submitted its proposal for annual fuel economy increases to the White House, a document which proposes four years of fuel economy increases with the first starting in 2011. According to The Detroit News, the NHTSA proposal also includes a credit-trading system for carmakers where firms exceeding the standards could sell credits to other firms that can’t meet the deadlines. Although the government claims the new legislation will help address the issue of soaring energy costs, there are many who believe the higher CAFE standards will add several thousand dollars to the price of every vehicle, including GM exec Bob Lutz who earlier stated it could add up to $6,000 to the cost of a new car.
NHTSA proposes annual fuel economy increases

NHTSA proposes annual fuel economy increases

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The U.S. government has already voted in favour of forcing carmakers to lift their fleet average fuel consumption figure to 35mpg by 2020 but what the feds didn’t outline was what interim fuel economy targets will come into effect in the meantime. This uncertainly forced a number of carmakers to put development plans for several new models on hold, most notably GM and its RWD sedan and sports car program.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has now submitted its proposal for annual fuel economy increases to the White House, a document which proposes four years of fuel economy increases with the first starting in 2011. According to The Detroit News, the NHTSA proposal also includes a credit-trading system for carmakers where firms exceeding the standards could sell credits to other firms that can’t meet the deadlines.

Although the government claims the new legislation will help address the issue of soaring energy costs, there are many who believe the higher CAFE standards will add several thousand dollars to the price of every vehicle, including GM exec Bob Lutz who earlier stated it could add up to $6,000 to the cost of a new car.

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Comments (2 total)

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  1. By chris #1, Posted: 2/22/2008

    if these regulations are put into effect this quickly, the only way the auto makers will have to react is to move smaller engines into existing larger vehicles.

    take ford for example. they sell over 800,000 F-150's a year. that truck comes with a 4.2L v6 in base form. most people dont buy that engine because for a truck that size, theres very little point in getting an engine that small. but even that truck likely would eat too much gas for any standard.

    once again, these standards come with good intentions but fail to recognize that ford in particular sells more trucks than anything else. should they be blamed for that? maybe the government should punish MACK for building a damned good transport truck. god knows those things only get 4 MPG at best.

    i'm all for more efficient cars and all, but ford makes the best truck out there, and theyre about to get punished for it. honda makes a truck... that gets the same crappy mileage as any other truck... but you dont see honda worrying about this,.. because that truck doesnt sell.

    american brands make better trucks and the imports make better small cars. and now the american brands are going to pay for making a certain product well.

  2. By vw_freak7 #2, Posted: 2/23/2008

    Sounds to me like they are going to pay for NOT making small cars well :) Maybe it's time they put some of the focus on their Focus!

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