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Born at the Crest of the Empire

Monday, May 18, 2009

New CAFE standards

Obama will propose new car/fleet mileage standards to be completed by 2016. Car fleet standards will go from 27 now to 42 mpg by 2016. Light trucks from 24 to 26.5. (Trucks get a pass?)

Think the auto industry is in a position to lobby against this?

posted by mikevotes at 1:28 PM

7 Comments:

  • I wouldn't have a problem if light trucks were being used as light trucks and not a loophole.

    And what exactly is a light truck? Who decides? The manufacturer? What's the criteria? And why is it so hard to make a light truck proportionally more fuel efficient?

    By Blogger -epm, at 3:10 PM  

  • Right. SUV's are light trucks. Pretty much anything sold to consumers are light trucks.

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 3:42 PM  

  • See, that's just BS. I've got a light truck (old Chevy), but it's a truck, damnit! It ain't no suburban youth shuttle.

    By Blogger -epm, at 4:28 PM  

  • I read somewhere that the auto industry supports this because it has a timeline and sets a national standard.

    By Blogger Libby Spencer, at 10:05 AM  

  • The classification of trucks is really at the heart of this issue in the first place. SUVs, especially in California, have enjoyed lax emission standards for at least a decade.

    Because of this, it has been possible in recent years to buy an SUV at the same cost (or even at a lower cost) due to the lighter required fuel and emission standards. Because they are "trucks" they get a break, and that legislation contorted the market.

    It was all fine and good until fuel prices skyrocketed, and the Big Three were left with factories tooled up way too big.

    By Blogger Praguetwin, at 5:57 PM  

  • ***Because of this, it has been possible in recent years to buy an SUV at the same cost (or even at a lower cost) as a typical 4-door sedan.***

    Sorry

    By Blogger Praguetwin, at 5:59 PM  

  • Libby, maybe, I don't know the whys, but they were up on the stand today.

    ....

    There was also a "business" exemption for work trucks which classified as anyone using an Explorer or suburban for deliveries or salescalls to get very preferential tax treatment on the vehicle.

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 9:59 PM  

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