A look into the future of California's post-2016 mileage standards
California's lead in setting stricter mileage standards for automobiles helped President Obama's administration formulate the new 35.5 mpg requirement for 2016. Since California's voice is so strong in the debate, we can see what might possibly be coming to the whole country in the later half of the next decade by looking at what California thinks will happen after 2016. Reuters did just that, and found that the California Air Resources Board chair Mary Nichols thinks that "a much more stringent standard" will be announced for 2017 and beyond.
That everyone appears to be happy with the 2016 requirement doesn't mean the struggles between CARB and the automakers have ended. Nichols told the news service that the compromise "doesn't signal any kind of flagging interest on the part of California in being part of a transformation of the auto fleet to something much more efficient than what it is today." A new EPA waiver request will need to be applied for, Reuters believes, but at least there appears to be a new feeling of working together. For now.
[Source: Reuters; Image: Pink Sherbet Photography, CC 2.0]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jharlan 10:41AM (5/21/2009)
I am against this government mandate in principle, but it is irrelevant in reality. These economy standards would have been met and exceeded without the action because that is what the market is demanding. That is what works. Things have changed. The past is no longer a predictor of the future. We are in the beginning of an era of social responsibility.
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Bip-D-Bo 11:01AM (5/21/2009)
California just wants to be the center of attention, just like a spoiled, bratty, little kid.
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polo 11:19PM (5/22/2009)
Polluting cars have caused serious issues in California and continue to be a major health threat. Because of their forward thinking, idiots like you just might live a little bit longer.
Mike!!ekiM 12:26PM (5/23/2009)
Funny.
It's got nothing to do with the 2 to 6 degree temperature increase from California to Alaska? All of the West Coast is losing their Snow Pack, which is their Water Supply. California Farmers are worried their valley will go into drought.
But, don't worry Mid-West Your Next.
Keep electing your Crack Pop, Sun-Spot Senators and we will lose the Mid-West farms as well.
stas peterson 5:36PM (5/27/2009)
Gee it only took one week for the California CARBite green loons to say that the "unified" standards won't be unified too long. They have to justify their continued irrelevancy.
The Guvernator should retire and close CARB as no longer necessary. Let these green bastards try and find a real job like all the other Americans who are out looking for one.
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Earl Killian 4:22PM (5/21/2009)
In case it helps, here are the numbers CARB used in one of its online documents:
Year PC/LDT1 LDT2
2017 44.2 28.0
2018 46.5 30.4
2019 47.8 32.1
2020 49.1 32.7
The first column is for passenger cars and light duty trucks less than 3751 pounds, and the second column is for light duty trucks up to 8500 pounds.
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