A few more CAFE details — and loopholes — emerge
New CAFE requirements are better than nothing, but full of loopholes
The good, the bad, and the ugly
Here’s the good news. CAFE standards are increasing and will push automakers to further embrace new technologies, such as hybrid and plug-in powertrains. For instance, by 2025 passenger cars will have to achieve a CAFE rating of 60 mpg, which means an EPA window sticker of around 42 mpg — a figure numerous hybrid cars already achieve today (and I mean combined, not JUST on the highway).
The bad news is that pickup trucks, and possibly SUVs and crossovers, will have much easier fuel economy requirements.
But it’s the loophole news that is really ugly. Read more…
Categories: Fuel Economy, Gas tax, MIsc. Tags: CAFE, Fuel economy, gas tax
CAFE rewrite set to protect gas-guzzling pickup truck sales even more
Time to build more pickup ups!
Could lead to an increase in pickup truck production and sales
Well, new CAFE requirements are threatening to once again turn into a major boondoggle. According to the DetroitNews, the Big 3 are set to agree to 54.5 mpg by 2025, which really means about 40 mpg according to the EPA and often even less in the real world.
However, 54.5 mpg won’t apply to pickup trucks and loopholes could ensure that pickups never have to increase fuel economy significantly through 2025. Read more…
Categories: Fuel Economy, MIsc. Tags: CAFE, Fuel economy
21.6 MPG: June auto sales fail CAFE requirements
Time for the EPA to get real
At least in the real world
The average fuel economy rating for all vehicles sold in June hit 21.6 mpg according to TrueCar via Reuters, down from 21.9 mpg in May.
Despite higher gas prices and red hot small car sales, such as the Chevy Cruze, US auto sales are still not meeting CAFE requirements in the real world. Read more…
Categories: Fuel Economy, MIsc. Tags: CAFE, Fuel economy
2025 CAFE regulations, predicting the future and foreign oil dependence
You just can't regulate an out-of-the-box future.
2025 CAFE regulations are a poor distraction from reality
I’m not a big fan of CAFE regulations. Yes, CAFE can be part of comprehensive energy policy, but using CAFE to drive energy policy seems a very poor idea, especially based upon the history of CAFE itself.
Besides, oil prices alone could easily make 2025 CAFE regulations obsolete long before ‘25. Read more…
Categories: Energy Independence, Fuel Economy, Gas tax, Hybrid Cars, MIsc., Plug-in Vehicles, Tax Incentives, electric cars, gas prices, plug-in hybrid cars Tags: CAFE, Energy Independence, foreign oil dependence, Fuel economy
CAFE, plug-in tax credits and Big 3 success, or failure
100 mpg, but no battery means no tax incentive
Bad regulations could kill up to 1.69 million jobs
I’ve never been a big fan of CAFE, as it has been almost counter-productive. Yet, when it comes to the state of fuel economy and the US auto industry, particularly as it relates to US foreign oil dependence, the obvious need for change is clearly apparent. Something has to be done. That means CAFE, gas taxes, even VMT, have to at least be on the table, at least be part of the energy policy discussion.
These days increasing CAFE seems to have some serious momentum, or at least more momentum than any other option, especially coupled with incentives for developing plug-in cars and infrastructure.
However, a few new studies suggest there are “very serious” dangers along this road. Read more…
Categories: Energy Independence, Fuel Economy, Gas tax, Hybrid Cars, MIsc., Plug-in Vehicles, Tax Incentives, electric cars, plug-in hybrid cars Tags: CAFE, electric cars, Energy Independence, foreign oil dependence, Fuel economy, Hybrid Cars, plug-in hybrids
Higher CAFE requirements just political shenanigans?
Flex Fuel credits have helped make CAFE a joke
If CAFE has failed thus far, why will the future be any different?
Why has gas-guzzling been so popular in the US?
That’s an easy question, right? Because gas has been so cheap and because there are few laws restricting gas-guzzlers.
However, if one wanted to embrace efficiency, what’s the better path? New laws such as higher CAFE requirements or higher gasoline costs via increased gas taxes? Read more…
Categories: Buying Hybrids, Fuel Economy, Gas tax, MIsc., gas prices Tags: CAFE, congress, Fuel economy
Kicking CAFE: Why does 62 mpg actually mean 44 mpg?
Time for the EPA to get real regarding CAFE
And probably even worse fuel economy in the real world?
At the LA Auto Show John Krafcik, Hyundai’s North American CEO, poked a little fun at the hybrid cars and plug-in vehicles so many automakers were hyping at the show – including both Hyundai and Kia. Ultimately, he claimed that even if the government pushed ahead with 62 mpg by 2025, Hyundai could meet the challenge with cars like the Elantra, rather than hybrids and plugs-ins, since the Elantra’s 40 mpg rating – on the highway at least – was only 4 mpg lower than what would be required for the 62 mpg rating.
Huh, I wondered? How does 44 mpg equal 62 mpg? Is CAFE just shy of completely irrelevant? Read more…
Categories: Hybrid Cars Tags: CAFE, foreign oil dependence, Fuel economy, global warming
Automakers – We can achieve 62 mpg by 2025, but only if we have to
How does the rest of the world survive without such large pickups?
Can capitalism and energy independence be friends?
If automakers were forced to achieve a CAFE requirement of 62 mpg by 2025, they could do it a top GM executive said at the National Automobile Dealers Association annual convention – a sentiment reiterated by other auto executives.
No, 62 mpg by 2025 won’t be easy for either automakers or consumers, but can America ever achieve greatness again without a great vision forward? Read more…
Categories: Fuel Economy, MIsc. Tags: CAFE, Fuel economy
Detroit, hybrids and 60 mpg by 2025
Prius is already at 50 mpg. 15 years to achieve 60?
What does revolutionary mean?
“For all of the rules Congress creates for the auto industry, none have proven less effective at achieving a desired result than mandating higher fuel rules for cars and trucks,” stated an editorial in the DetroitNews on Monday regarding a recent proposal to increase CAFE to 60 mpg by 2025.
Consequently, the editorial staff claimed that the “unrealistic” proposal wasn’t just “based neither in scientific fact nor reality”, but also dangerous to the viability of the US auto industry.
Yet, it didn’t stop the paper from calling the new Chevy Volt revolutionary on Tuesday. Irreconcilable differences? Read more…
Categories: Chevy Volt, Fuel Economy, Hybrid Cars, MIsc. Tags: CAFE, Fuel economy
Hybrid shortage: Australian rare earth project highlights problem
Rare earth guzzler.
Going down under for hybrid-loving rare earths
By 2025, as many as 50 percent of the cars sold in the US could be hybrid cars based on possible new CAFE requirements, but without new rare earth mines, or the cost-effective development of new rare earth free magnets, such plans could be impossible to achieve.
And, while a new rare earth mine in Australia will help, the new mine also demonstrates just how big is this problem. Read more…
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: CAFE, Hybrid Cars, rare earths
