Comments on: Breaking: Obama to raise new car fuel efficiency standard to 39 mpg by 2016 — The biggest step the U.S. government has ever taken to cut CO2. http://climateprogress.org/2009/05/18/obama-to-raise-new-car-fuel-efficiency-standard-to-42-mpg-by-2016/ The Latest on Climate Science, Solutions, and Politics Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:20:59 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: connor http://climateprogress.org/2009/05/18/obama-to-raise-new-car-fuel-efficiency-standard-to-42-mpg-by-2016/#comment-56605 connor Thu, 21 May 2009 01:41:36 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=6820#comment-56605 Am I right in assuming this would equate to a total 2.5% reduction in the worlds overall CO2 emissions? Going by the figures here and here: http://www.wri.org/publication/content/8468 http://science-news.org/carbon-emissions/motor-vehicles-and-carbon-emissions-a-general-overview/ Am I right in assuming this would equate to a total 2.5% reduction in the worlds overall CO2 emissions?

Going by the figures here and here:

http://www.wri.org/publication/content/8468

http://science-news.org/ carbon-emissions/ motor-vehicles-and-carbon-emissions-a-general-overview/

]]> By: Sasparilla http://climateprogress.org/2009/05/18/obama-to-raise-new-car-fuel-efficiency-standard-to-42-mpg-by-2016/#comment-56333 Sasparilla Wed, 20 May 2009 15:11:09 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=6820#comment-56333 This was unexpected (till it leaked) and great news. As to the criticisms that its nothing compared Europe etc., in one sense that is correct it doesn't get us to Europe etc. - but, like the debate over the WMDD, there's what you want and whats politically possible. This is huge leap forward from where we are in the US and where we were going - and it wasn't on the radar as something that was happening till the last week. We need lots of nice surprises like this. This was unexpected (till it leaked) and great news. As to the criticisms that its nothing compared Europe etc., in one sense that is correct it doesn’t get us to Europe etc. – but, like the debate over the WMDD, there’s what you want and whats politically possible.

This is huge leap forward from where we are in the US and where we were going – and it wasn’t on the radar as something that was happening till the last week.

We need lots of nice surprises like this.

]]> By: Neil Howes http://climateprogress.org/2009/05/18/obama-to-raise-new-car-fuel-efficiency-standard-to-42-mpg-by-2016/#comment-56077 Neil Howes Wed, 20 May 2009 03:17:24 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=6820#comment-56077 I can understand some people thinking 39mpg by 2016 is not high enough, but this is better than 35mpg by 2020, and I see no reason why it cannot increase by 2mpg very year after 2016 until all cars are EV or PHEV's getting >100mpg. This will ensure PHEV's like the Chevy Volt will be a success whatever the price of gasoline in 2010-12. Australia doesn't have any standards so will probably become a dumping ground for surplus SUV's. We lack a leader with vision. I can understand some people thinking 39mpg by 2016 is not high enough, but this is better than 35mpg by 2020, and I see no reason why it cannot increase by 2mpg very year after 2016 until all cars are EV or PHEV’s getting >100mpg.

This will ensure PHEV’s like the Chevy Volt will be a success whatever the price of gasoline in 2010-12.

Australia doesn’t have any standards so will probably become a dumping ground for surplus SUV’s. We lack a leader with vision.

]]> By: Yuebing http://climateprogress.org/2009/05/18/obama-to-raise-new-car-fuel-efficiency-standard-to-42-mpg-by-2016/#comment-55863 Yuebing Tue, 19 May 2009 21:13:12 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=6820#comment-55863 Half of a wedge? "1 wedge of vehicle efficiency — all cars 60 mpg, with no increase in miles traveled per vehicle" Half of a wedge?

“1 wedge of vehicle efficiency — all cars 60 mpg, with no increase in miles traveled per vehicle”

]]> By: Frank C. http://climateprogress.org/2009/05/18/obama-to-raise-new-car-fuel-efficiency-standard-to-42-mpg-by-2016/#comment-55813 Frank C. Tue, 19 May 2009 19:47:53 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=6820#comment-55813 Europe's diesel cars get 50mpg....but pollute much more than US diesels. Europe should fix that. Good re: carbon, bad re: N02 and particulates. Europe’s diesel cars get 50mpg….but pollute much more than US diesels. Europe should fix that. Good re: carbon, bad re: N02 and particulates.

]]> By: hapa http://climateprogress.org/2009/05/18/obama-to-raise-new-car-fuel-efficiency-standard-to-42-mpg-by-2016/#comment-55769 hapa Tue, 19 May 2009 18:11:09 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=6820#comment-55769 whatever the MPG, the new vehicle standard doesn't help americans who are most vulnerable to fuel cost spikes, because the new vehicles won't be comfortably in the price range of low income folks for a few years. because of this -- while we wait for high-efficiency personal vehicles work their way into the "long tail" of the economy and we decide about trains and sprawl and bike access and distribution models and all that -- we MUST engage in an all-out effort to improve the fuel performance of buses, delivery vehicles, and service vehicles, and deploy/retrofit widely. the first round of "oh gawd that's expensive" diesel fuel hit the public sector like a ton of bricks. now the public sector is broke, how many tons of bricks will the second spike feel like? whatever the MPG, the new vehicle standard doesn’t help americans who are most vulnerable to fuel cost spikes, because the new vehicles won’t be comfortably in the price range of low income folks for a few years.

because of this — while we wait for high-efficiency personal vehicles work their way into the “long tail” of the economy and we decide about trains and sprawl and bike access and distribution models and all that — we MUST engage in an all-out effort to improve the fuel performance of buses, delivery vehicles, and service vehicles, and deploy/retrofit widely.

the first round of “oh gawd that’s expensive” diesel fuel hit the public sector like a ton of bricks. now the public sector is broke, how many tons of bricks will the second spike feel like?

]]> By: Jade A. http://climateprogress.org/2009/05/18/obama-to-raise-new-car-fuel-efficiency-standard-to-42-mpg-by-2016/#comment-55703 Jade A. Tue, 19 May 2009 15:59:05 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=6820#comment-55703 What an embarrassment. 39 MPG is extremely laaaaaaaaaame! To add to the embarrassment the administration can't get its story straight about the CAFE standard. TIME Magazine says it's 35MPG. Climate Progress is saying 39MPG, and the NYTIMES was quoted as saying it was going to be 42MPG. We need AT LEAST 50MPG for cars, and AT LEAST 40MPG for light trucks. This news only reinforces the view that I, and many others like myself share in that the United States is a country that can't get things done anymore. What an embarrassment. 39 MPG is extremely laaaaaaaaaame! To add to the embarrassment the administration can’t get its story straight about the CAFE standard. TIME Magazine says it’s 35MPG. Climate Progress is saying 39MPG, and the NYTIMES was quoted as saying it was going to be 42MPG. We need AT LEAST 50MPG for cars, and AT LEAST 40MPG for light trucks. This news only reinforces the view that I, and many others like myself share in that the United States is a country that can’t get things done anymore.

]]> By: Thomas http://climateprogress.org/2009/05/18/obama-to-raise-new-car-fuel-efficiency-standard-to-42-mpg-by-2016/#comment-55648 Thomas Tue, 19 May 2009 13:25:27 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=6820#comment-55648 I'm with Greg N - from Europe, this does not seem worthy of all the praise above. We should ask for more. I’m with Greg N – from Europe, this does not seem worthy of all the praise above. We should ask for more.

]]> By: Greg N http://climateprogress.org/2009/05/18/obama-to-raise-new-car-fuel-efficiency-standard-to-42-mpg-by-2016/#comment-55621 Greg N Tue, 19 May 2009 12:47:22 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=6820#comment-55621 Hmm. Forgive me if I don't get excited. I get 52 mpg today. Viewed from Europe, these proposals aren't ambitious, they're embarrassing. All of us are wasting CO2, of course, but the US obsession with gigantic cars has to be the worst waste of all. Hmm.

Forgive me if I don’t get excited.

I get 52 mpg today. Viewed from Europe, these proposals aren’t ambitious, they’re embarrassing.

All of us are wasting CO2, of course, but the US obsession with gigantic cars has to be the worst waste of all.

]]> By: Jeremy Johnson http://climateprogress.org/2009/05/18/obama-to-raise-new-car-fuel-efficiency-standard-to-42-mpg-by-2016/#comment-55296 Jeremy Johnson Tue, 19 May 2009 02:18:05 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/?p=6820#comment-55296 Just thinking out-loud here. Didn't "we the people" just buy GM. Thus it seems to make good sense that this is being done. Wouldn't it also behoove us as share-holders of GM to push the company to far exceed the standards, and focus exclusively on PHEV and electric cars and then in the near future push for even tougher legislation, from capital hill, that strongly favors PHEV and electric cars? Perhaps we as shareholders could vote for GM to buy / partner with companies like Aptera, or the winner of the Automotive X Prize. What I'm getting at it the american public now controls three sides of the automative industry, i.e. the government policies, the industry (GM) and the consumers, seems like we should be able to get whatever we want with little resistance. I wasn't really happy about the deal with GM but if we own it, seems like we should ensure it does what we need as a country (more fuel efficient / electric cars) while becoming strongly profitable. The whole debacle could turn out to be a great opportunity to get GM and the greater automative industry as a whole off its arse and focus it on fixing the environment, creating jobs, and return surplus profits into the american treasury. Now how do we actually get our voices heard by the powers that be and start lobbying for more changes like this? Just thinking out-loud here. Didn’t “we the people” just buy GM. Thus it seems to make good sense that this is being done. Wouldn’t it also behoove us as share-holders of GM to push the company to far exceed the standards, and focus exclusively on PHEV and electric cars and then in the near future push for even tougher legislation, from capital hill, that strongly favors PHEV and electric cars?

Perhaps we as shareholders could vote for GM to buy / partner with companies like Aptera, or the winner of the Automotive X Prize. What I’m getting at it the american public now controls three sides of the automative industry, i.e. the government policies, the industry (GM) and the consumers, seems like we should be able to get whatever we want with little resistance.

I wasn’t really happy about the deal with GM but if we own it, seems like we should ensure it does what we need as a country (more fuel efficient / electric cars) while becoming strongly profitable. The whole debacle could turn out to be a great opportunity to get GM and the greater automative industry as a whole off its arse and focus it on fixing the environment, creating jobs, and return surplus profits into the american treasury.

Now how do we actually get our voices heard by the powers that be and start lobbying for more changes like this?

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