Fuel economy hits 22-year low

[jtr1962]

This is one of the most disgusting things I've read in a long time, but it certainly comes as no surprise with vehicles getting more and more ridiculous in terms of size and horsepower. It seems the only way auto makers will ever improve fuel economy or go to zero emissions vehicles is if it's forced upon them. We need to phase in a $5 or so per gallon gas tax more than ever, have a class action lawsuit for the damages caused by pollution, and then just sit back and let the free market do it's magic. Frankly, the SUV craze is beyond my understanding. The closest most SUV owners ever get to going off-road is when they park with their wheels on the sidewalk. Besides that, they handle poorly and are extremely obnoxious looking. SUV drivers also account for the largest share of auto accidents since most purchased a large vehicle to compensate for their very poor driving habits. As I said, truly disgusting on all fronts.

 

[mubs]

It has been proven many times over that the auto industry cries wolf at every request made to it, that it would be bankrupted by the expensive new requirements that are legislated. When the legislation is passed and becomes law, the the hue and cry dies down, they magically find a way to make it viable to comply.

The silly thing is that they've played this game so many times and yet the lawmakers "pretend" that that it is indeed not fair to shove it down the auto industry's throat (more like not wanting a hit to the campaign funds). When you see this, what's happening with DMCA and such, it's patently obvious that it is a synergistic combination of incomptence and self-interest that rule this country.

 

[CougTek]

...it's patently obvious that it is a synergistic combination of incomptence and self-interest that rule this country.

Well said, or written, ...whatever.

 

[zx]

I don't blame only the auto industry for this. I also blame the consumers. Most people would be satisfied with a 4 cylinder engine car. It's not the lack of fuel efficient cars that makes fuel consumption rise. It’s the fact that consumers don’t care about fuel efficiency. What's the point of alternate energy vehicles when people don't buy fuel efficient ones.

And what's the industry doing about it? Taking advantage of it and making sure that it will continue. They promote SUV's, release bigger and bigger engines that aren't that fuel efficient, etc…

Also, let's face it. If an car company wants to make fuel efficient vehicles, they can do it. The problem is, if people aren't buying, they won't stay in business for long. It’s the average consumer that must realize that fuel consumption is important.

So, to make people fuel efficient, we have 3 solutions :

1. Government regulation to make cars more fuel efficient.
2. Government intervention to make fuel prices higher (taxes), to make people buy fuel efficient vehicles or to make people use public transportation.
3. Make people understand how fuel economy is important so that they decide to buy fuel efficient vehicles.

I think the third solution is the best, but we all know it will never happen :S . The other two are also very unlikely to happen (especially in the US). So if things continue, the day we will become more fuel efficient is when fuel will become a rarity and prices will start to rise dramatically. Or, possibility number two, when people start feeling the effects of global warming (very grave effects) they will start to react. However, in Quebec, we have smog in summer now, and I don’t see people reacting that much. It may take some sort of natural disaster. (of course, I can see Bush denying it had anything to do with global warming, but that’s another story ).

 

[CougTek]

3. Make people understand how fuel economy is important so that they decide to buy fuel efficient vehicles.

That is impossible with a very large portion of the population. Many people are simply too selfish and/or idiotic to grasp that concept. Common wealth is a very low priority on most people's list. They apparently don't care if the climate is completly fucked up in 25 years, as long as they can enjoy it now, that's the only thing they care for.

 

[jtr1962]

I think the SUV craze is partly to blame on the automakers. Through their ads they can promote certain types of vehicles as more desirable. From what I understand, because SUVs are classified as trucks, and hence exempt from CAFE standards, there is more of a profit margin on them. Therefore, the automakers promote them more. Of course, the blame ultimately falls with the consumer who can't see past the small world inside his/her SUV. As CougTek points out, they simply want to have a big SUV with a large engine so they can have their fun now cutting everybody off and running red lights with impunity, and don't give a shit what state the world end up in 25 years from now. I'm still surprised though that more people haven't complained about filthy smelling air to have something done about it. I've personally noticed how much dirtier the air around here smells since people have started driving SUVs in large numbers. Apparently the general population has a higher tolerance for smog than I do, or maybe just doesn't give a damn. Perhaps part of the solution is to put a bunch of auto executives in a room and pump in some exhaust from one of their SUVs. It might fix some of their brain cells, assuming they even have a brain to begin with.

 

[Howell]

Apparently the general population has a higher tolerance for smog than I do, or maybe just doesn't give a damn.

I suspect most of the population does not take the chance to enjoy non-air-conditioned air like you do. Maybe you could develop something that makes the air quality inside the buildings equivalent to the air quality outside. Considering the smoking ban it would seem that there is some care in NYC.

 

[mubs]

Perhaps part of the solution is to put a bunch of auto executives in a room and pump in some exhaust from one of their SUVs.

I love this idea! Let's do it! Let's do it! Please, can we do it??!! Nothing like eating one's own dog food to drive the reality home (pun intended).

 

[Mickey]

3. Make people understand how fuel economy is important so that they decide to buy fuel efficient vehicles.

That is impossible with a very large portion of the population. Many people are simply too selfish and/or idiotic to grasp that concept. Common wealth is a very low priority on most people's list. They apparently don't care if the climate is completly fucked up in 25 years, as long as they can enjoy it now, that's the only thing they care for.

I'm not sure it's simply that people are too selfish or stupid to grasp the concept, just that something right in front of you is likely to garner more attention than something that "might" happen in the distant future. Scientists can predict, based on models, what "might" happen 25 or 50 or however many years from now, but unless the average person actually believes these predictions are definitely going to happen, it's not going to carry much weight.

Personally, I choose to drive a fuel-efficient car (4 cylinder, ~33 mpg of mixed city/highway driving) because it saves me money, I don't find I need a bigger car, and reducing our dependence on foreign oil is certainly a plus in my book. When this car gives up the ghost, I fully intend to look into hybrids or whatever is available at that time (all-electric, hydrogen, whatever).