Comments on: Game Over for Gas Guzzling, With New Auto Efficiency Rules

By: Michael Frank

Michael Frank — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 05:50:17 +0000

Much obliged concerning taking a step back to exchange ideas about this, I feel emphatically about it and adore memorizing more on this point.
Michael Frank

By: RoJo

RoJo — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:20:53 +0000

So exchanging 18 mpg for 22mpg earns $4,500. Wantiing to exchange 20 mpg (93 Camry) for Prius (50) earns $0.

By: Randy Heasley

Randy Heasley — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:54:37 +0000

I find that pretty funny. I don't wear seat belts because of any law. We certainly don't need that law, if someone doesn't want to wear a belt that's their choice and they accept the consequences of that choice. We use foreign oil because we aren't smart enough to drill for our own. We would rather be snobs and let third world countries do the dirty work and then complain about paying them.

I drive a Prius because it's the smart thing to do, not because of foreign oil. To pay less and use less foreign oil, we need to drill here and use our own. I also tow a trailer with a 2500 GMC pickup truck. You can't do that with anything above this comment. Drill here, drill now, pay less. The bleeding heart liberal decisions are what have driven California to ruin. Learn from it and change, or follow them down.

By: Daniel Richards

Daniel Richards — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:52:45 +0000

When I learned that Germany, China, Japan, Korea already are beating our new 2016 standards, I felt hood winked by the auto companies that say they "can't".

As a taxpayer, we are lining their pockets and I am disgusted by our culpability and complacency. I will buy American, but it will be a Prius or an Insight or an Escape made here in the U.S.

It took a law to get us to wear seat belts. It took a law to get us to use airbags. It is about time for a law to get us to drive responsibly.

Then again, doesn't it just piss you off that we are buying oil from a part of the world that wants to bring us to our knees. I believe it is in our national interest to not need oil from other countries. So, let's solve two problems - dependence on foreign oil and greenhouse gas emissions - go green, not just with transportation, but in electric power generation.

By: fred smilek

fred smilek — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:02:19 +0000

I agree with Ken Grubb. I also have a hybrid and all the benefits that Ken mentioned were true.

By: Collin Burnell

Collin Burnell — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:52:22 +0000

C’mon shines, You have to do a better job than just selecting the least expensive non-hybrid vs. the least expensive hybrid. Hybrid ‘versions’ right now come very well equipped and you have to compare a comparably equipped version of both cars. Maybe the solution for the companies that already make hybrid versions is to offer a baseline hybrid as well.

By: kengrubb

kengrubb — Sat, 23 May 2009 01:23:18 +0000

The Fusion hybrid meets the 2016 standard now, and it's a mid sized car. Not a micro car. It also pays for itself after just 37K miles of city driving. Combined with plugins and EVs--depending upon how they're counted in CAFE--39 MPG shouldn't be all that big of a hill to climb. Car makers were already moving to more hybrids and plugins when gas was $4 a gallon.

Fusion hybrid savings assumes $2.25 a gallon

$27,270 - Hybrid MSRP
$23,975 - SEL MSRP w/4 cylinder (SEL & hybrid are closest in terms of features)
$1,700 - Federal tax credit
$1,595 - Hybrid premium

23,975 + 1,700 + 1,595 = 27,270

41 MPG city - 9.8 cents a mile - hybrid
23 MPG city - 5.5 cents a mile - non hybrid

You save 4.3 cents a mile in city driving with the hybrid so $1,595 will be repaid after 37K miles of city driving.

By: sean t

sean t — Fri, 22 May 2009 03:55:34 +0000

Al,

There is no silver bullet for the problem.
We need more than one means.

By: thimst

thimst — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:15:13 +0000

everyone knows there are exceptional cases where people need the gas guzzlers and you may have that exception being a farmer. It is the 99% of the population that requires no more than compact car daily that is the target. Justification should be needed to drive a vehicle that puts the US in a begging position to OPEC!

By: Al

Al — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:04:45 +0000

This is like trying to solve the country's weight problem by forcing restaurants to limit calories per plate; its ridiculous. CAFE standards dont work.

Look at history in the US. In the 70s (twice) and last year. Price of gas went through the roof, drivers demanded more efficient cars. SUV/big car sales tanked. Months of waiting to get a new TDi or Prius. In the meantime, while CAFE standards have been around, we've slowly but surely increased average weight and power of cars and actually decreased economy. Why? People vote with their wallets and their hearts. Their hearts tell them "more power, more room" and as long as their wallets can take it, they'll continue.

Forcing the manufacturers to make cars that people dont want...isnt going to get people to want them! DUH Make people WANT to drive efficient cars by making it cost too much to do otherwise! Taxing fuel directly and fairly increases the cost to each individual. Use more? Pay more! Cant pay more? Get a more efficient car! Simple