U.S. Senate fuel economy law

The U.S. Senate may consider a Democratic plan to require automobiles to get at least 40 miles per gallon fuel consumption by 2016. Of course that doesn't include trucks and SUVs, which would only have to average 27.5 mpg.

Wow! Excuse me for not getting excited.

I wonder if that will be real world mileage, or EPA estimated mileage - that is off by as much as 20% in real world driving?

It seems pretty pathetic that hybrid cars, such as the Honda Civic hybrid or Toyota Prius hybrid, already achieve these requirements. In the SUV space, the Toyota Highlander hybrid and the Ford Escape hybrid are also close to compliant.

Nonetheless, fuel economy almost certainly will not pass. Most Republicans and Democrats from auto manufacturing states say it will cost too many jobs.

Apparently, American auto manufacturers are just too technologically incompetent.