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I'm Breaking Your Heart (35mpg goal impossible)
Forbes ^ | January 28, 2008 | Jerry Flint

Posted on 01/14/2008 11:38:25 AM PST by reaganaut1

Solving the energy problem is easy if you pay no attention to the laws of physics. That's the wonder of our Congress. To pass is easy; to achieve is something else. This is where I break your green heart. You know that Congress passed a law ordering all cars and trucks to average 35 miles to the gallon by 2020. It won't happen.

Another part of that law mandates the production of 36 billion gallons a year of biofuels by 2022. That won't happen either.

It's not that automakers [] are just mean and don't want to do it. They don't know how. Of course, they don't dare complain or criticize the law. We must all be green and happy about it.

But there's just no way anyone subject to the laws of physics and automobile engineering can get a 5,000-pound pickup, or any mass-produced, reasonably priced sport utility near that weight, up to 35mpg.

Today the 2008 Honda Accord (weighing 3,570 pounds) has poorer fuel economy than last year's model, and Honda is Mr. Green. That new hybrid system on the General Motors Chevy Tahoe SUV probably adds $10,000 to the cost (and 400 pounds) and gets it up to 20mpg. Yes, the fuel economy increase is terrific, near 50%--but we're up to only 20mpg on the four-wheeler, and that's nowhere near 35.

The best way to increase fuel economy (and reduce greenhouse gases, too) is to reduce the weight and engine size of the vehicles. Congress could pass a law ordering that no car weigh more than 1,750 pounds (a Toyota Camry is in the 3,200-pound range), no truck weigh more than 2,500 pounds and no engine run more than 75 horsepower. Most Americans couldn't fit in such cars, but they would average 35mpg.

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: econuts
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1 posted on 01/14/2008 11:38:27 AM PST by reaganaut1
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To: reaganaut1

35 mpg on 10 or 20 percent ethanol blended gas... Wonder if anyone has considered the lower heat in alcohol ?


2 posted on 01/14/2008 11:44:02 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks (ENERGY CRISIS made in Washington D. C.)
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To: reaganaut1

OK.....so this means that when the time comes, Detroit will just stand there with their hands up and say “Now what?” I’ve often wondered what California will do when Detroit can’t meet their requirements. Will they not ship cars to California? And what will California do? I don’t think anyone knows.


3 posted on 01/14/2008 11:44:49 AM PST by RC2
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To: reaganaut1

Its not about the gas or mph, its about the American system in killing its success.


4 posted on 01/14/2008 11:45:59 AM PST by edcoil
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To: reaganaut1
"..reduce the weight and engine size of the vehicles.."

Congress has mandated the crash test standards, and the air bags in cars, too.

Making cars heavier and more complex.

5 posted on 01/14/2008 11:45:59 AM PST by Designer
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To: Eric in the Ozarks

Indeed, the higher the % ethanol, the lower the mpg per gallon of fuel in a given vehicle.


6 posted on 01/14/2008 11:46:55 AM PST by NonValueAdded (Fred Dalton Thompson for President)
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To: RC2

They will pay the fines like Mercedes-Benz and BMW do annually.


7 posted on 01/14/2008 11:47:49 AM PST by BurbankKarl
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To: Designer
Probably they will end up making a car out of tin foil and air bags.

If a shopping cart rolls into the driver's side door 15 airbags will inflate and you will need a new door.

8 posted on 01/14/2008 11:49:37 AM PST by ikka
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To: NonValueAdded
Indeed, the higher the % ethanol, the lower the mpg per gallon of fuel in a given vehicle.

...all other things being equal, of course.

Which they certainly don't have to be.

9 posted on 01/14/2008 11:51:11 AM PST by Oberon (What does it take to make government shrink?)
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To: RC2
OK.....so this means that when the time comes, Detroit will just stand there with their hands up and say “Now what?”

35 mph? ... I thought you meant meters per gallon...

10 posted on 01/14/2008 11:52:08 AM PST by El Cid (Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house...)
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To: reaganaut1

My wife’s VW TDI get’s 35MPG City and 40 HWY (rated 35 City 43 HWY but I have never gotten better than 40 HWY) using a 4 cylinder 100 HP turbo-charged diesel engine. It can carry 4 adults with luggage for a weekend trip with no problem.


11 posted on 01/14/2008 11:52:23 AM PST by BubbaBobTX (I wasn't born in Texas but I got here as fast as I could.)
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To: BubbaBobTX

My old VW Rabbit Diesel got 42 city and 57 highway.

I wish I still had that car for commuting.


12 posted on 01/14/2008 11:54:24 AM PST by cinives (On some planets what I do is considered normal.)
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To: reaganaut1

Perhaps Mrs. Clinton can find that guy who developed the 100 miles/gallon carburator and free him from imprisonment by the big car companies?


13 posted on 01/14/2008 11:56:27 AM PST by Voltage
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To: reaganaut1

Help conserve our dwindling ethanol supplies.....for DRINKING! LOL.


14 posted on 01/14/2008 11:58:27 AM PST by 2harddrive (...House a TOTAL Loss.....)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks; All
Wonder if anyone has considered the lower heat in alcohol ?

For those out there that don't know, less heat in the burn = less efficient.
Ya ca'na beat the laws of physics capt'n
15 posted on 01/14/2008 11:59:22 AM PST by TalonDJ
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To: cinives

I guess what I was trying to say is that there are cars on the market today that exceed the proposed standards that would be suitable for most Americans. People just need to say no to cars that don’t get at least 30 miles to the gallon and the manufactures will build them.


16 posted on 01/14/2008 12:02:27 PM PST by BubbaBobTX (I wasn't born in Texas but I got here as fast as I could.)
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To: Voltage
Perhaps Mrs. Clinton can find that guy who developed the 100 miles/gallon carburator and free him from imprisonment by the big car companies?

Hah! I have heard that one before. I even have met engineers (computer) that bought it. They believed some hearsay that their uncle told them over my explanation (mechanical engineer) that there is a maximum possible efficiency of thermal cycle and that current carburetors get pretty near that... and that I had done lab exercises that proved it for a class. But no, he trusted what his uncle said a guy told him who know a guy... etc.
17 posted on 01/14/2008 12:02:39 PM PST by TalonDJ
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To: reaganaut1

I had a 1988 Accord. Before I finally got rid of the thing, it had over 230,000 miles on it and was STILL getting between 35 and 40 miles per gallon. And I’ll save anyone the legwork ... original gas mileage estimates for that car came nowhere near what I was actually getting.


18 posted on 01/14/2008 12:03:14 PM PST by al_c (Avoid the consequences of erudite vernacular utilized irrespective of necessity)
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To: BubbaBobTX

It is all about mass and energy. VW builds them light.


19 posted on 01/14/2008 12:04:29 PM PST by TalonDJ
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To: reaganaut1

Does anybody know what the federal fine for noncompliance will be? Would it be worth it to domestic car makers to push for that goal and, when the time comes, demonstrates that the goals are impossible, just pay the fines? I wonder if paying the fines would be worth the cost of selling vehicles people WANT to buy.


20 posted on 01/14/2008 12:04:46 PM PST by Kieri (Midwest Snark Claw & Feather Club Founder)
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