What
is 'technologically feasible' fuel economy?
Tuesday,
July 24, 2007
Aren't
automakers duping consumers?
A 'technically feasible' approach to fuel economy has
become the new buzzword among automakers, including
Toyota, the king of hybrid
cars. Yet, if a Toyota
Prius can achieve almost 50 mpg and a Camry
hybrid can achieve more than 40 mpg, then why are
automakers fighting even 35 mpg as a new CAFE standard?
The new CAFE standards will not even go into effect until
2020. By then, Toyota, for example, will probably be on at
least their 5th generation of hybrid technology. Even
hybrid late-comers, such as GM and Ford, will have already
moved through multiple generations of hybrid technology.
Even more interesting, by that time,
hybrids-are-the-future Toyota will be at a point where the
prices of hybrid vehicles equal that of conventional
vehicles - at least if Toyota is to be believed.
Consequently, by 2020, 35 mpg will easily be achievable,
even for large SUVs and trucks.
Yet, at 35 mpg, based upon America's ever-increasing
patterns of energy consumption, America will be as
dependent upon foreign oil as today, maybe even more
dependent unless biofuels achieve some incredible
breakthroughs. Ultimately, 35 mpg by 2020, isn't enough.
Yet, automakers continue to fight even this proposal.
Inevitably, automakers are fighting against what is
'technically feasible', and their disingenuous, dishonest
rhetoric and lobbying might help them in the short term,
but it certainly won't help in the long term.
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