White House Issues New Gas Mileage Standards

Hugh Pickens writes "NPR reports that the Obama administration has signed off on the nation's first rules on greenhouse gas emissions and set new fuel standards to meet a fleet-wide average of 35.5 mpg that will raise current standards by nearly 10 mpg by the 2016 model year. Although the new requirements would add an estimated $434 per vehicle in the 2012 model year and $926 per vehicle by 2016, drivers could save as much as $3,000 over the life of a vehicle through better gas mileage, according to a government statement. 'We will be helping American motorists save money at the pump, while putting less pollution in the air,' says Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Dave McCurdy, leader of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a trade group representing 11 automakers, says the industry supports a single national standard for future vehicles. 'Today, the federal government has laid out a course of action through 2016, and now we need to work on 2017 and beyond.' As the auto industry seeks to emerge from ashes, many manufacturers already are trying for the right mix of approaches, experts say. Some will try to sell more hybrids. Others are introducing not-so-gas-guzzling SUVs. They may also push slightly downsized and small cars, such as the Ford Fiesta."

Comments

Great. Just Great.

[TaleSpinner]

As raising the CAFE has proven time and again, every time they are raised, they have the effect of increasing the amount of time older, less-efficient cars will remain in service, instead of being replaced with newer, more fuel-efficient models, and, once again, the country's overall average mileage will shrink. Way to go. Of course, once they ram cap-and-trade through the way they did health care, no one but Donald Trump, the President, and Congress will be able to drive. So much for sticking it to those rich people.

Please!

[gbutler69]

SHUT THE FUCK UP! I am so fucking sick of this bull-shit. You live in a society on a world where resources are becoming scarce. There isn't going to be enough of everything (and never was) for everyone to have whatever the fuck they want. If you don't want to be regulated by society than you're on your own. If so, I'll kill you and take all your shit! Dumb-Ass!

Re:Laws

[icebraining]

This forces the average to be lower. You as a consumer still have the liberty to buy an SUV and fuck up everyone's environment and kill more in accidents.

Re:Some things not noticed - electric and size

[WillAffleckUW]

We already do this in the West.

Almost half of the GDP of America is from Western states which mandate a minimum (from 10 to 20 percent) of all new energy production must be in the form of alternative energy - specifically solar, wind, tidal, geothermal - not including fission or hydroelectric.

The West is in the 21st Century already.

We're just waiting for the rest of the nation to catch up.

Oh, and we have way tougher emissions regulations than you do.

Heck, BC even has a carbon tax, up north.

Re:More deaths

[BitZtream]

Get over it. I've never been in an accident, yet I have to have insurance. I spent many many (sad and lonely moons) not having sex, yet I still paid more for health insurance to compensate for the reduced rate women get for their pills ... and no, they don't ALL fucking need them for 'regularity' or 'complexion' ... they survived before hormone tablets existed.

I have no children (yet :) but I still pay taxes for schools. Do you have children? Would you want to actually pay the full cost of their schooling?

Its called socialism, get used to it. It has its place in a civilized world. Unless you want to have your entire life dictated to you then you have to deal with sometimes paying extra for what some other people do. Likewise there will be times when other people are paying for your ignorance. If you don't like the system there are several ways you can take yourself out of it. Its rather easy to not have to pay taxes, just move to Somalia and hang out. You'll not have to pay extra for anyone ... you'll love the quality of life too.