Government Proposes New Fuel Standards for SUVs, Minivans

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB6JUHAQCE.html

ATLANTA (AP) - The Bush administration proposed new fuel economy standards for pickup trucks, minivans and some sport utility vehicles on Tuesday, calling upon automakers to make modest improvements to gas mileage amid rising prices at the pump.

The plan, announced by the Department of Transportation in Atlanta, would require the auto industry to raise standards for most vehicles other than cars beginning in 2008. All automakers would have to comply fully by 2011.

"This is a plan that will save gas and result in less pain at the pump for motorists without sacrificing safety," said Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta.

Mineta said the program is expected to save about 10 billion gallons of gasoline.

But the plan does not apply to cars and the largest SUVs, such as the Hummer H2.

[rodeodance]

1. and WHERE was any talk--it was off the table -by bush in this just

passed energy bill---now he wants to bring it back?

[Rose Siding]

4. Like hell he does

All this does is signal an election year ahead.

[habitual]

2. All Together Now:

We would like to know why vehicles like the Hummer 2 were excluded from this bill.


HAHAHAHAHAA somebody got that luxury yacht they've always wanted, and Hummer gets to beat the law....

[whistle]

3. Fu*k Mineta and Bush and the SUV they rode in on....

...they are five years too late and are postponing the standards until 2008 for some and 2011 for all automakers. That will have been a twelve year delay and still they make exceptions and propose only tiny improvements in fuel economy. This Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta is nothing but a lackey for the automobile manufacturers.

[Javaman]

5. Like pissing in a bucket with a hole in it...

It ain't going to do a thing.

By the time this shit goes into effect we will be paying 6-10 bucks a gallon on the pump.

One thing for sure about the repukes, you can safely bet they will always be behind the curve on anything important.

drip drip drip goes our future...

colossal failure*

[AndyTiedye]

6. As If Anyone Will Buy Them If They Keep the MPG As Low as Today

Yes, they can still sell gas-guzzling SUVs, but only if they cut
the prices so low that they are losing money on them.

If anybody at the no-so-big-anymore-three automakers has even half a
clue, they will be doing everything they can to get the mileage UP,
government standards or not.

[hatrack]

7. Whoop-dee-doo

EDIT

Mineta said the program is expected to save about 10 billion gallons of gasoline.

EDIT

OK, let's see, 10 billion/42 gallons per barrel = 238,095,238 barrels of gasoline. Current US gasoline usage is about 20 million barrels a day, so that's the equivalent of not quite two weeks' worth of gasoline consumption.

The proposal would change the method of calculating fuel economy compliance, dividing light trucks into 6 categories based on size, with the smallest vehicles being required to get better gas mileage than larger trucks.

Great, so now we get a rerun of the incomprehensible USDA Food Pyramid, except this time it's for cars. I'm sure there's no way to fix that statistical clambake, eh Norm?

The current system represents an average of manufacturers' entire fleet of light trucks.

At a news conference, Mineta did not unveil complete details of the plan. But he cited one example: minivans currently required to average 21 mpg would be required to get 23.3 mpg by 2011.

Why, that's an astounding 9.4% increase in efficiency - I hope that six-year window gives Detroit enough time to get the job done!

EDIT


Yeah, I bet he didn't unveil complete details. Would anyone like to hazard a guess, like, maybe, he didn't have them?

[JerseygirlCT]

8. 21 to 23.3?

That's progress? And it will take 6 years to do that?

It's time for the old "we could put a man on the moon" thing. Why the hell can't we make it a national security issue and demand huge increases in efficiency in 5 years?