Auto Industry is sick and tired of State CO2 regulations
They're launching a counterattack, according to Automotive News (subs req'd). The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (consisting of the Big 2.5, Toyota and five others) submits that California regulators and those of the tagalong states have been misleading the public about the benefits of such regulations.
While under oath in a federal trial in Vermont, regulators contradicted themselves by saying that the rules they have been touting will have no effect on global climate change, and compliance with them will be almost impossible for the automakers. Even if the entire country adopted the regulations the State of California is attempting to implement under a waiver of the Clean Air Act, it would have no measurable impact on climate change.
The other grounds in favor of the Alliance is the fact that regulation of fuel economy - which all this legislation is supposedly about - is a responsibility entrusted exclusively to the federal government, not that of the state.
Aside from the statement that there would be no measurable improvement in the environment, it seems as if the Rebel Alliance has a pretty solid case, and I hope it goes well for them. It does seem that they are indeed putting forth a sincere, if belated, effort to build more efficient cars. It seems slow because gas prices are high now, not later. What the impatient and uneducated individual does not recognize is the fact that it takes years of development before a new car rolls off the line, and emissions regulations cannot change that. The automotive industry is a business, not a public service, and still runs on profit. Actions of the automakers must be well planned and thought out, and still elicit a return on the investment, despite our impatience. If you've paid your $155 for this year, read the Automotive News article here.
[Source: Automotive News - subscription required]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mikeinBuilding7 9:04PM (5/30/2007)
Come on, they can't do anything? or they Won't.
- Toyota, for example, said that people choose the largest engine, 5.7 liter, 70% of the time, when they buy a Tundra.
But, How can they tell, because if you try their "Build and Price your Tundra", they auto-switch you from a Regular cab to a Double cab, along with an engine "upgrade" if you select the "Limited".
These vehicles are Made in America, these factories are Automated, and yet they FORCE me to buy the cab they want me to buy, and the engine they want me to drive? ExxonMobile's second best partner right behind GM.
---
VW is another example.
They sell 3 Touareg models.
This year they offer a Diesel, but, if they offered a 3.0 V6 Diesel, it would surely CRACK the ExxonMobile 30mpg LIMIT on SUV fuel economy, so how does VW offer a Diesel? With the BIGGEST DIESEL ever made, well almost. a V10 550 lb of torque Diesel? in a SHORT WHEELBASE SUV? ARE THEY INSANE? Again, it had better come with a full roll cage and a fire suppression system, because this thing will soon be a heap by the side of the road.
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motorman 9:31PM (5/30/2007)
people buy trucks to haul and pull things and the bigger the engine the easier it pulls and hauls with better fuel mileage than a smaller engine. my 8100 silverado pulls my race car trailer and allows me to keep up and not holld up traffic out on the road. if i want mileage i drive my C-6 corvette.
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TX CHL Instructor 9:58PM (5/30/2007)
If I wanted to haul heavy loads, I might be interested in a big engine. But I haul lights loads, so I wanted a small truck with the smallest engine I could get. Toyota had the smallest new truck I could buy, and the smallest engine - but both are bigger than I really need, and I would have gone smaller if it had been available.
As another poster pointed out, I had to give up some options that I otherwise might have bought, because Toyota 'bundles' them with a larger engine. But they weren't as bad about it as Ford, which is why I didn't get another Ford.
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D-GOD 10:20PM (5/30/2007)
Come on, this quote: "It does seem that they are indeed putting forth a sincere, if belated, effort to build more efficient cars." is proof you are brainwashed by popular culture.
The HAVE put an effort to build some efficient cars, while replacing the former effiencient cars with drastically less efficient vehicals I.E. new/old Scion XB, Tundra with 5.7.
Building boring Priuses just gives companies like Toyota to build monsters like Tundra, Sequoia, FJ Cruiser, ect
The popular culture printed in every green magazine, and lame celebrity's claiming you can save the world if you take a prius to the oscars has created a false perception that autos are getting cleaner, when in reality they are not.
every new car is bigger and less efficient for what it is, 4 cylinders and stick options are being dropped, and there are less effcient vehicals today than 5 years ago.
the popularizing of a select few hybrids makes people, like yourself, feel they are "trying"
That's a lie, I hope they all learn an expensive lesson for kissing Exonmobile's ass and not really making an effort to get off Saudi Arabia's best friends list.
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Joseph 1:28PM (5/31/2007)
This is something that is truely the people's fault. The auto companies are only adherring to the wants of the MAJORITY of the people. And the majority wants 15mpg trucks/SUVS/sports car ect.
I think it's time that the gov't starts to fine households for having more than one vehicle that gets under 20mpg. Another thing is to charge fines for how many miles that under 20mpg car drives a year. Adn of course, no fines are charged for cars getting above 20mpg. Then little by little, year by year, the standard will be raised as new technology comes in. This way we are encouraged to drive the gas guzzler less and the regular car more. I think it sounds reasonable, do you?
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GreyFlcn 1:02AM (5/31/2007)
As Autoblog commented previously,
The big automakers complain endlessly that it's "unattainable" to raise the fuel effeciency standards 8 mpg inside the next 13 years.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/05/07/carmakers-say-new-fuel-economy-regulations-are-unattainable-bs/
Have you ever read a bigger load of bullshit?
_
The real answer.
Screw Detroit, and Go Electric.
Support Phoenix Motors, Tesla Motors, Zap Incorporated, Miles Incorporated.
greyfalcon.net/electriccars.png
Remove half the battery pack, and slap on a small gasoline generator, and you got yourself a Series Plugin Hybrid.
The ultimate in transitional vehicle technology.
And Phoenix is leading the way.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/04/phoenix-motorcars-plugin.php
Reply
Ralph 1:19AM (5/31/2007)
The real driving force behind more choice in fuel efficient engines is going to ultimately have to be the consumer. Most people in the US still favor the larger engine choices, even if they don't need the excessive power. Auto companies are more than willing to oblige and often create their most desirable packages around these most wanted engines. More profit from larger engines...more profit from fancy packages. The last thing they would want is more Gov't restrictions. I'm betting that this will be a long, nasty fight.
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GreyFlcn 1:44AM (5/31/2007)
Who says you can't have super powered high effeciency engines and still be green?
Diesel engines (Legal in all 50 states in 2008), offer a 40% increase in fuel effeciency over gasoline.
With no reduction in performance.
Hell, modern Diesels get a significant performance boost.
http://world.honda.com/news/2006/c060925DieselEngine/
Nearly all heavy duty vehicles prefer Diesel over Gasoline. (Assuming it's clean enough, which new catalytic converters assure)
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/05/11/got-urea/
_
Electric Engines? Can you say
"100% horsepower starting at 0mph"?
How about :P
"Maximum horsepower all the damned time!"
http://www.teslamotors.com/performance/performance.php
Electric cars, when given enough juice, are the ultimate in high engine performance.
They also happen to be the ultimate in high engine effeciency.
http://www.greyfalcon.net/tesla
http://www.greyfalcon.net/electriccars.png
http://www.greyfalcon.net/electriccars2.png
And even if driven on the dirtiest coal electricity availible, an electric car would be like driving a Prius in emmisions.
http://www.greyfalcon.net/plugins3
Not to mention, driving on electric "fuel" is dirt cheap.
http://www.greyfalcon.net/volt
http://www.greyfalcon.net/plugins
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Mack 2:55AM (5/31/2007)
"What the impatient and uneducated individual does not recognize is the fact that it takes years of development before a new car rolls off the line, and emissions regulations cannot change that."
OK, so who is paying the bill?
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Mattias 5:05AM (5/31/2007)
Naturally, pickups should be ideal candidates for hybrid drve trains. Use a larger four cylinder or a smaller six cylinder Diesel (like the VM 630 that GM seems to use soon) and add a 40kW electric engine. That would give great torque for hauling offer regenerative braking and much better efficiency than just a large gas V8.
But none of the big three would voluntarily offer such an option. Pickups with simple pushrod V8s and ladder frames make good money from old tools and old designs. As long as gas prices do not get higher, nothing will change.
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Nils 7:35AM (5/31/2007)
What a load of BS. They don't need to develop more efficient cars/trucks than they're selling in the US cause they already did. They're selling 'em everywhere else in the world right NOW, including SUV's and larger trucks. There's no argument/excuse against that. They're just withholding these cars from the US-market for whatever reasons and trying to convince the public it's hard to develop more efficient engines when in fact they're selling them all over the world. Tell someone a thousand times the same BS and they'll believe it.
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Mattias 3:13PM (5/31/2007)
#11: We have these fines in Europe already. They are called "mineral oil tax". One gallon of gas cost between 7.00 and 8.00 US$, so most people either try not to drive too much or to buy economical cars.
No wonder, many cars sold here are Diesels that get ~40mpg. Even craftsmen that need to pull trailers or haul stuff can't use V8 pickups. A Sprinter or IVECO daily with a 3.0l Diesel and 160hp makes 20 to 24mpg (if properly driven even with trailer). Having a V8 pickup with an ineffective automatic transmission (one that is not able to lock the torque converter once the car moves) is seen as pure decadence here.
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GreyFlcn 10:05PM (6/01/2007)
re: Jospeh
--This is something that is truely the people's fault. The auto companies are only adherring to the wants of the MAJORITY of the people. And the majority wants 15mpg trucks/SUVS/sports car ect.--
Thats where diesels, hybrids, and electric cars come into play.
You can have your cake and eat it too.
Reply
Afi K. James 9:41PM (6/02/2007)
This is something that is truely the people's fault. The auto companies are only adherring to the wants of the MAJORITY of the people. And the majority wants 15mpg trucks/SUVS/sports car ect.--
Thats where diesels, hybrids, and electric cars come into play.
You can have your cake and eat it too.
Not to Mention Flex Fuels, E85, Hydrogen.
Reply
Afi K. James 9:41PM (6/02/2007)
As Autoblog commented previously,
The big automakers complain endlessly that it's "unattainable" to raise the fuel effeciency standards 8 mpg inside the next 13 years.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/05/07/carmakers-say-new-fuel-economy-regulations-are-unattainable-bs/
Have you ever read a bigger load of bullshit?
_
The real answer.
Screw Detroit, and Go Electric.
Support Phoenix Motors, Tesla Motors, Zap Incorporated, Miles Incorporated.
greyfalcon.net/electriccars.png
Remove half the battery pack, and slap on a small gasoline generator, and you got yourself a Series Plugin Hybrid.
The ultimate in transitional vehicle technology.
And Phoenix is leading the way.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/04/phoenix-motorcars-plugin.php
Too Bad, I Will not get one, because I Will not raise my electric bill, I'm ready to lower taxes and smaller goverment.
Reply
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