In December President Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Two key points of the bill are -
1. Increasing the supply of alternative fuel sources by setting a mandatory Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requiring fuel producers to use at least 36 billion gallons of biofuel in 2022.Let's focus on point 2 and compare the goal of 35 miles per gallon to what's going on right now in Europe.
2. Reducing U.S. demand for oil by setting a national fuel economy standard of 35 miles per gallon by 2020 – which will increase fuel economy standards by 40 percent and save billions of gallons of fuel.
From MSNBC: U.S. ‘stuck in reverse’ on fuel economy
...the number of vehicle models sold in the United States that achieve combined gas mileage of at least 40 miles per gallon actually has dropped from five in 2005 to just two in 2007 — the Honda Civic hybrid and the Toyota Prius hybrid.A few questions come to mind.
... there are 113 vehicles (mostly in Europe) for sale that get a combined 40 mpg, up from 86 in 2005.
Adding insult to injury is the fact that nearly two-thirds of the 113 highly fuel-efficient models that are unavailable to American consumers are either made by U.S.-based automobile manufacturers or by foreign manufacturers with substantial U.S. sales operations, such as Nissan and Toyota.
Only 2 cars in 2007 with decent gas mileage - how did the auto and oil industry allow this obscenity? No cars, zero, must have been the goal.
Why did Bush sign this act in December of 2007 when he could have waited till October of 2008 to sign thereby wasting his entire 8 year Presidency with respect to fuel efficiency?
Why was the restrictive date of 2020 placed in the act? An open ended date would be far more convenient for American car manufacturers, (they need time to adjust to this new fangled gas mileage thing) and certainly the oil industry would benefit from more open ended years of the gas guzzling frenzy.
The cynic might even think it was a deliberate stalling tactic in order to gather more profit for the oil companies. Realistically, 35 miles per gallon by 2020, WOW, in 12 years we will almost be where many countries were years ago in fuel efficiency.
3 comments:
I was in Europe in mid-Sept. Small fuel efficient cars are the order of the day only a tiny number of gas guzzling cars exist and only the wealthy few drive them. Why we allow the opposite situation here is beyond me? The only answer I can think of is greed.
Yes, greed, and I would throw into the lot stupidity and arrogance.
Another factor is many are trapped in these cars now and driving them into the ground because nobody wants them. they have no resale.
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