Posted on 06/26/2011 8:19:18 AM PDT by Pontiac
The Obama administration is considering a fleetwide average of 56.2 miles per gallon for all new cars and trucks sold in the U.S. by 2025, two people briefed on the matter said. The proposal would roughly double current fuel-economy targets, and would likely raise the price of some cars by several thousand dollars. The proposal isn't final, and could be adjusted over the next several weeks as regulators prepare a formal draft to send to White House budget officials. The administration has said previously that it is looking at requiring cars average between 47 and 62 mpg by 2025. The fuel-mileage targets would be accompanied by stringent rules to reduce vehicle emissions of greenhouse gases. Environmental groups and the state of California have pressed for the 62 mpg target or something close to that, while the industry has lobbied for a target on the lower end of the administration's range. The targets for 2025 would build on the administration's requirement that autos average 35.5 mpg by 2016. U.S. officials are expected to release their final numbers for 2017-2025 in September.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
In other news, the Obama administration is drafting legislation that makes shark attacks illegal.
An anonymous source close to the President said, “without this legislation countless individuals will be attacked by sharks. We must act quickly to prevent any future shark attacks.”
If the initiative is successful, sources say they will use the same approach to solve the growing tornado problem. The same source said, “As we all know, tornados have become more frequent because of global warming. If we don’t do something about them, citizens will continue to feel an economic and emotional toll.”
In all seriousness, this is so stupid. Will they consider the energy cost associated with plugging into the wall? The only way we get 50+ mpg for cars AND TRUCKS is to supplement the combustion engine with electrical power in order to mask the true energy costs.
Even my socialist, “environmentalist” (really anti business), father thinks that electric cars are stupid. He brought it up 2 weeks ago while we were fishing. He can’t understand why people think that electric means no environmental impact.
Only if Obama succeeds in destroying the free market for oil based fuels.
If the world continues to search for new oil field there will be plenty of oil to fuel what ever cars the market wants.
Personally I do not believe that the general populace wants the kind of car that would be necessary to achieve that kind of fuel economy. It would need to be basically a enclosed motorcycle that does 0 to 60 mph in 12+ seconds.
I wonder how many bong hits it took to come up with that number? Lunacy.
/s, as if...
If gas is a lot higher than today, then 50 mpg cars will be very popular.
Because it is not really about the environment at all. It is about socialism vs. capitalism.
By gaining control of energy through the limits on carbon emissions they gain control of the economy.
These people have not given up on the carbon credits trading scheme.
The Left uses guerilla tactics in politics. They failed in instituting carbon credits trading by one method so they will achieve it by incrementalism. This is a small step in achieving the end goal.
Third gear?
Probably none.
These Leftist have a very tenuous grip on reality. Socialism means never having to let reality interfere with your plans.
It’s not considered an automobile by federal standards unless it has at least a solar panel! ; )
I can’t figure out what the lower left quadrant is.
Hammer bashing a GOP elephant? Hopefully, there will be a prize for the best guess.
What it would require is fuel prices much higher than today.
Fuel prices high enough to get consumers to demand fuel economy that high would require either very high taxes on fuel, much higher demand for fuel from a much wealthier world consumer population to the point were supply could not meet demand (I think that such a over demand could only be temporary in a free market) or an artificial restriction on the supply of fuel.
I see the first and the last being the most likely (if not both) being favored in a socialist society that Obama and his like minded socialist will create.
“Personally I do not believe that the general populace wants the kind of car that would be necessary to achieve that kind of fuel economy.”
I bought a VW Jetta diesel and it gets a good, honest 40 mpg. However, I despise the car. It’s too small. If they’d put a bench seat into it and ditched the fighter plane cockpit design, it would at least be comfortable for long trips. I bought this after trying the new European Ford, the name of which escapes me now. I had a virtual panic attack the back seat as my feet were locked under the driver’s seat and I couldn’t move to get out. I had to untrap my feet with my hands. I immediately went and bought the VW, which was spacious by comparison.
As to why there aren’t more diesel’s the VW salesman told me that each of the 50 states had its own legislation governing diesel cars that VW would have to qualify for 50 times. If VW just imports a handful of cars then they don’t have to go through the various qualifications. In Europe, diesel is more popular than gas and you can get almost any car with a diesel engine.
I bought the “sport wagen” (sic) which has a big hatch on the back. The regular car’s truck was too small for a large cooler. When I travel, I used to take some of my lawn equipment to help out my relatives. I can’t do that in this tiny thing.
Problem solved.
“A horse and mule uses no gasoline.”
Exactly.
One can always go Amish.
Think of the jobs created. Buggy whip makers. Horse poop collectors. Horse Grooming. Blacksmiths. Makers of Amish-style hats. The list goes on.
A high school friend had one.
I could never feel comfortable in that car. Having the windshield about 3 inches from my nose made me nervous.
But of course in our northern Ohio winters having an old VW with the hot air ducts rusted out meant it was the passenger’s job to keep the windshield scraped clean of frost so being close to the windshield did have a certain advantage.
Drove it everywhere until they raised the speed limit to 65 mph.
It would cruise 70mph but the flow on the freeway jump to 85mph when the limit was raised.
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