Submit your comments on this article |
Science & Technology |
In the 35 MPG Future, Which Cars Make the Cut? |
2009-01-26 |
Now that the Obama administration is reconsidering California's plan to increase the fuel economy of cars sold in the Golden State and 13 others to 35 miles per gallon by 2016, we wondered how close the automakers are to getting there. The regulations being proposed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) — the same organization that brought to life then killed the electric car mandate in the state — do not regulate fuel economy directly like the EPA does, but instead set standards on carbon dioxide emissions, which effectively does the same thing. According to the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, it will cost carmakers approximately $3,000 per car in new technology to get the fleet average up to 35 mpg. Want to get a head start on helping the industry out buy purchasing a 35 mpg car? If the standards went into effect today you would have a grand total of three vehicles to choose from, and no, the MINI Cooper isn't one of them. The Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid and Smart Fortwo are currently the only cars with an EPA combined rating of better than 35 mpg. Later this year, the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Honda Insight will join the list, but clearly the automakers are still a long way from making the cut. Of course 35 mpg is just the beginning. The CARB proposal calls for a 43 mpg average by 2020. That narrows the list of available cars to one. Hope you like that Prius. |
Posted by:GolfBravoUSMC |
#25 LOL - our Jingo troll, still gets the short bus home, when Mom's on the street working to pay that dialup bill. One word, puppy: Fre3cr3ditr3port.com... should enough to see a two-figure number, eh? |
Posted by: Frank G 2009-01-26 23:01 |
#24 Obama's new Caddy gets 8MPG. Being a man of the people and all, I'm sure he'll be happy to hear your complaint, Jingoistic Ass... |
Posted by: tu3031 2009-01-26 22:51 |
#23 Ya' got the ASS part right, #22 Jingo |
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2009-01-26 22:40 |
#22 Poor Babys cant drive your Pickups, Suburbans, and Hummers around anymore.... I guess you'll figure out some other way to give the OPEC nations all our money |
Posted by: Not A Jingoistic Ass 2009-01-26 22:37 |
#21 Lexus is built by Toyota. Prius is built by Toyota. The Toyota fleet CAFE is fine. |
Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2009-01-26 20:51 |
#20 at least it doesn't apply to...drinks ready? F-150's! |
Posted by: Frank G 2009-01-26 20:33 |
#19 BMW, Mercedes and Lexus flout the current EPA rules as it is. They get whacked with gas-guzzler taxes, they pass those along to their customers who are apparently willing to pay, and everyone is happy. Lexus isn't having problems selling cars, at least in good times, and you aren't going to see a 35 mpg Lexus anytime soon. But GM, Ford and Chrysler can't do that because the political fallout would kill them (assuming the UAW doesn't kill them first). No way any of them can say 'screw you guys, we're making muscle cars and we'll just pass the gas guzzler tax along'. This is law making by wish: 'oh, I wish cars would get better mileage' and presto, a new law. |
Posted by: Steve White 2009-01-26 20:29 |
#18 well, by the size of the thing, it would be a form of contraception for future dems... |
Posted by: Herman Flineck aka Broadhead6 2009-01-26 20:18 |
#17 looks like a wheel-chair w/a hood... |
Posted by: Herman Flineck aka Broadhead6 2009-01-26 20:17 |
#16 besides the pot holes in this nation are by in large bigger than that POS. |
Posted by: 3dc 2009-01-26 20:11 |
#15 I would never fit in something like that. It would require drastic countermeasures that the Demoidiots would not like. |
Posted by: 3dc 2009-01-26 20:10 |
#14 NASCAR > And the YUGO takes it. |
Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-01-26 19:49 |
#13 if you remove all the safety features (airbags, bumpers, seatbelts), all weight-carrying capacity (two seats, no trunk), put an electric 35 mph -capable electric engine, there you go! A car nobody wants. But that's the point, isn't it? Into the bio-diesel bus, proles! |
Posted by: Frank G 2009-01-26 19:09 |
#12 This has Steve Chu's fingerprints all over it. In the Google Tech vid that's all over the 'net he clearly states that this sort of regulation has no negative impact because "everyone will just adapt because they know it's coming." Good luck. |
Posted by: AzCat 2009-01-26 18:29 |
#11 How long before it becomes illegal to modify a cars engine or suspension in way? It's gonna happen someday. |
Posted by: Cheaderhead 2009-01-26 18:09 |
#10 I believe these proposed standards only apply to new cars. I, for one, intend to drive nothing but 60's muscle cars until the day I die. |
Posted by: spiffo 2009-01-26 18:02 |
#9 Which flying cars make the cut? The ones made by Greg Lemond's pa and ma. |
Posted by: JFM 2009-01-26 17:48 |
#8 Darth - Check out the pic at "Darth Vader trades in StarDestroyer for Ariel Atom) - makes a good background. |
Posted by: CrazyFool 2009-01-26 17:09 |
#7 LH, do you know what the time lag is for bringing a major new technology to market in the automotive world? 10 years ain't all that long especially when you're going broke now. |
Posted by: AlanC 2009-01-26 16:54 |
#6 im not a fan of mandates, I prefer price based mechanisms. But really, does it make sense to judge what will be available in 2020 by looking at cars that make the cut in 2009? I mean even without the mandate one expects cars to get better mileage in the future. |
Posted by: liberalhawk 2009-01-26 16:50 |
#5 I look forward to seeing our elected officials driving around in these type of cars too, and leading by example... |
Posted by: Francis 2009-01-26 16:37 |
#4 Screw this. I'm taking up hang gliding. |
Posted by: DarthVader 2009-01-26 16:35 |
#3 Which flying cars make the cut? |
Posted by: tu3031 2009-01-26 16:32 |
#2 Measure efficiencies in Imperial gallons and you're in. |
Posted by: Alaska Paul 2009-01-26 16:30 |
#1 This is just what our struggling auto makers need right now. Good job, Baracko. Moron. |
Posted by: Parabellum 2009-01-26 16:25 |