Comments on: CAFE Footprint Formula Explained

By: DoesResearch

DoesResearch — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:37:03 +0000

For how long? a Corvette has full tank city range of 270, a Porsche 911 GT2 has an estimated city range of 283miles. The record for EV distance set in Oct, 09 is 313miles (with 3 miles remaining) on the highway when the Porsche would do 407 and take about 10 mins at a gas pump to do it again. (BTW Tesla 0-60 3.7 GT2 3.6, track speed Tes 125mph GT2 204mph only difference is price and luxury, the closer in price competitor is the 911 turbo but mpg ratings aren’t available officially). Unless they create a 100% rapid charge system EV sports cars aren’t efficient enough, ever forget to charge a cell phone? boy would it suck to forget to charge your car.. Hybrid is the only way to go performance wise, but Toyota killed the “supra” project (a hybrid super sport car), they used an electric engine as a sort of turbo charger mileage wasn’t boosted an insane amount, but the total output was acceptable it might have been scrapped due to weight and handling problems due to weight if I want a 6,000lb super sports car Ill drool over a Bentley. Maybe Porsche will reinvent the current lithium ion battery system to make it light weight, but the core problem is still the power source same with EV, batteries are too bulky, heavy, and don’t hold enough of a charge. I’m holding out for at least 500 miles under heavy acceleration with a 50% recharge in under 2 hours 100% in 3-4 (can you imagine NASCAR-EV, I don’t watch now but, 500laps with an intermission for recharge? Or watching them switch a battery as fast as possible haha). (Hope you all enjoy the large run on sentence)

By: Andy Andersson

Andy Andersson — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:03:07 +0000

The footprint is the carbon emission. This is what we want to reduce. Don’t try to regulate any surrogate quantity, simply require a payment for actual emissions. This is most easily done at the source and would be reflected in the fuel price.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:09:41 +0000

Detroit did not “screw” us, the Democrats in the Congress did. Feel good legislation that does nothing was passed years ago, and has now been passed again. Everyone knows what needs to be done, create a fuel pricing structure so that the more you use, the more you pay per unit of volume. This is how we conserve water and electricity. But where is the program for fuel? Nowhere!

By: The Horsts

The Horsts — Tue, 06 May 2008 04:40:11 +0000

Unfortunately, CAFE standards are basically a joke and redendered completely pointless by the prevailing gas prices -- whether they be low or, finally, high.

With low gas prices over the last 2 decades, the interviewee pointed out that basically most of the automotive research went toward more horsepower and better 0-60 times even with CAFE standards in place.

Now, the high gas prices will get people to buy truly fuel efficient cars regardless of the CAFE standards. For goodness sake, we're talking about only 33 MPG a full 12 years from now!! If gas prices aren't at $6 or more per gallon by then, I'll be shocked. And people will be thinking that 33 MPG is a joke.

Once again, Detroit is happy because they think they've pulled a fast one by having the size of the vehicle factored in. But, in reality, they've screwed themselves further by setting a standard that will be way out of touch with what the market (and planet) will demand.

By: Charles

Charles — Tue, 06 May 2008 04:13:06 +0000

A few replies:

To Gerald Shields: I voted early in NC. Go Obama, Go Obama, Defeat Panderer, Go Obama.

To MoisheK: This will be the end of wheels to the corners for full line auto makers. What a crock for determining a vehicle's class. Make a few classes and determine CAFE's for each class if you must.

To Shines: I would love to see a carbon tax. Make it large, but take the first bit of it and make it a income tax credit. So people who use very little fuel, get a big break. People who use a lot get hit hard. The income tax credit for business use would have to be large to be fair.

To the article: If we all drove smaller vehicles, we would all be safer. Small cars do better in single vehicle crashes. Make driving a large vehicle (>4500) require a commercial drivers license and require a five year good driving record to get a commercial license. This would save a lot of teenager's lives.

I know, never going to happen, but it should.

By: simon@aus

simon@aus — Mon, 05 May 2008 23:45:09 +0000

legislation is irrelevent – its the gas price, stoopid

By: Gerald Shields

Gerald Shields — Mon, 05 May 2008 22:07:01 +0000

I agree. Once gas prices gets near $5.00 a gallon. The Big Three will essentially be forced to design and make more fuel-efficient vehicles if only to keep up with the demand for such vehicles. $3.20 - $3.99 has already triggered a switch to smaller more fuel-efficient cars by consumers.

IN & NC voters: Don't vote for short term, useless solutions to resolve the issue with gas prices, vote for the guy who's going to give the truth to ya straight and who will invest in longer term solutions.

By: steved28

steved28 — Mon, 05 May 2008 22:06:55 +0000

"What good is a Corvette or Porsche if it cannot perform?"

A properly designed EV can blow the doors off those cars.

By: moishe k

moishe k — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:48:20 +0000

Dumbbells
the next thing u will see is hippo size guzzlers or better still super long & wide cars with low seating position & passenger legs stretched flat big footprint

By: Shines

Shines — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:44:48 +0000

Have any CAFE standards ever been enforced?
This seems like the wrong type of government interference to me.
I hate tio suggest it, but why not just develop a tax on carbon emmissions, or a tax on fuel economy, or a tax on vehicle weight?The states do the vehicle weight tax on 18 wheelers already - to pay for road use.
Everybody hates taxes, but isn't the CAFE standards a form of tax anyway? If the manufacturers don't meet the standards they get fined (taxed).
What good is a Corvette or Porsche if it cannot perform?
If big pickups and SUVs are taxed so that only businesses can afford them then the mission is accomplished. If people want fuel consuming vehicles make them pay through the nose. That will leave a market for Porsches and other performance vehicles (and pickups and SUVs, but it would be a much smaller market.
I agree with Need2Change - that as gas prices rise the consumer will select more efficient vehicles.
It is too bad so many Americans think they need big SUVs and want to blame the oil companies for the high price of fuel. The rest of the world is buying more oil and we'll need to consider that when making our vehicle choices.