Posted on 08/29/2012 3:50:18 AM PDT by tobyhill
The Obama administration announced fuel economy standards Tuesday that would require car makers to almost double the average gas mileage for passenger vehicles to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025.
The final rules mark the latest step in a lengthy campaign by the administration to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and oil consumption and are the highest fuel efficiency standards in U.S. history.
With an eye to the looming presidential election, the White House touted the standards as a boost for middle-class consumers. "These fuel standards represent the single most important step we've ever taken to reduce our dependence on foreign oil," President Obama said.
But the Romney campaign was quick to condemn the rules as impractical and harmful. "Gov. Romney opposes the extreme standards that President Obama has imposed, which will limit the choices available to American families," campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said.
While automobile manufacturers welcomed the new rules, auto dealers decried them. The dealers association contends that the 2025 rules would drive up the average vehicle sticker price by $3,000.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I believe that is very true. Public transportation, public assistance, ride the bus comrade, stand in the bread line comrade....
Of course the call for something in 2025 is ridiculous. We don’t have that long...
Prediction: Few of these cars will sell and the US roadway system will look like Havana by 2035 with mostly 20+ yo cars on the road. This asshat who has never done anything in his life except live in some city and be catered to by a band of renigade fanatics has not a clue about what US life is about.
When I worked in Chile in the mid-70s, the land was full of them. The noise and smell were wonderful.
Auto makers love these rules because even though it increases their costs and limits their freedom, it protects them from competition. The only companies that will be able to compete at the 55 mpg level will be large manufacturers that have the engineering and research capabilities. The number of manufacturers will be reduced, many imports will be squeezed out (BMW, Mercedes, Land Rover, etc). They will have a captive market where they can charge whatever they want.
Of course, it won't work out that way.
Look at the Volt vs. the Chevy Malibu. The Malibu costs $23,000 and gets about 30 MPG. The Volt costs $52,000 and gets 55 MPG (I know, I know, but stick with me here...) That is an extra $29,000 a vehicle. In their dreams, the Auto Manufacturers think they are going to be able to charge $20,000 to $30,000 more per vehicle. What's not to love?
But nobody is buying the Chevy Volt. They know that if you drive 10,000 miles a year, that Volt is going to save you about $750 at the pump, and you are going to pay $250 of that back to your electric company. So at $500 a year, even without interest, it would take you 58 years to pay back the premium on the Volt. So people opt for the cheaper, less efficient alternative.
Once that alternative is legislated out of existance, they think we are going to be stuck paying the extra $29,000 for the Volt.
But people will just not do that. They will keep their old cars running forever or they will start driving trucks. But more likely still they will toss out the politicians who support such crap and eliminate the requirement.
Meanwhile, 90 miles South of Miami, it's still 1954, automotively speaking...
The 2CV is another good one, you’re right!
I used to drive an old Renault 4 all over Kenya. What a great car! Of course it would be suicide on a modern US highway, but bumping along the back roads and rutted tracks of Kenya, it was perfect. I had that thing held together with wire and shoestings, and it never let me down.
I have an ‘89 GTL, which is the same old R4 but with electronic ignition and a slightly larger motor. It’s reallly a superb car—tres pratique!
...require car makers to almost double the average gas mileage for passenger vehicles to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025...
Correction: 2012 election, not 2013.
Woke up too early this morning and too much coffee.
It’s going to force everyone to keep there cars longer. I used to buy a new vehicle every 4 years, now I keep them for 5 years. Looks like it’s going up to 6 or 7 years for me.
Don’t you love Central Planning!
Pray for America
That's a fact. All high fuel prices are attacks on rural people, family farm production, freedom of travel, and the ability to vote with your feet.
But they could be souped-up to 18 hp by hot rodders.
Guess The First Dictator will get Californians to ride that ridiculous train-to-nowhere one way or another.
Didn't Zero announce new fuel economy standards a few months ago? Someone must've figured out that some of the auto makers could actually hit that target. So the administration, predictably, moves the goal posts.
Despicable.
this is the replacement:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2010-2011_Suzuki_Alto_%28GF%29_GLX_hatchback_%282011-04-22%29.jpg
Why doesn’t he make it law that we all have to travel to work on skittle crapping unicorns?
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