Tuesday, September 13, 2005
New Fuel Standards
U.S. Proposes New Fuel Standards for SUVs:
The Bush administration has announced new fuel economy standards for minivans, light trucks and small sport utility vehicles. The new rules would require automakers to increase mileage per gallon for those vehicles by about 8 percent starting in 2008, with full compliance by 2011.
Under the proposal, current rules governing light trucks would be displaced by six separate categories for the vehicles, based on size. Each category would have its own fuel economy standards. The smallest vehicles would be required to get better gas mileage than larger trucks.
Light trucks -- including minivans, SUVs and pickups -- accounted for nearly 60 percent of all new vehicles purchased in the United States in 2004.
Critics say the plan doesn't go far enough. David Freedman, research director for the clean vehicles program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, says that, according to information released so far, the proposal would increase fuel economy by less than .5 mpg a year through 2011.
What over all good would come from only increasing the fuel economy by less than .5mpg a year? If we weren't efficient enough to change it now, why stop there? Why not promote different cars that don't run off gas? Why not fund them better? Why not raise the fuel economy standard higher still, to push those companies that have alternative fueled cars to promote more? Wouldn't it be more efficient?
The Bush administration has announced new fuel economy standards for minivans, light trucks and small sport utility vehicles. The new rules would require automakers to increase mileage per gallon for those vehicles by about 8 percent starting in 2008, with full compliance by 2011.
Under the proposal, current rules governing light trucks would be displaced by six separate categories for the vehicles, based on size. Each category would have its own fuel economy standards. The smallest vehicles would be required to get better gas mileage than larger trucks.
Light trucks -- including minivans, SUVs and pickups -- accounted for nearly 60 percent of all new vehicles purchased in the United States in 2004.
Critics say the plan doesn't go far enough. David Freedman, research director for the clean vehicles program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, says that, according to information released so far, the proposal would increase fuel economy by less than .5 mpg a year through 2011.
What over all good would come from only increasing the fuel economy by less than .5mpg a year? If we weren't efficient enough to change it now, why stop there? Why not promote different cars that don't run off gas? Why not fund them better? Why not raise the fuel economy standard higher still, to push those companies that have alternative fueled cars to promote more? Wouldn't it be more efficient?
