CAFE: 31.6 mpg by 2015
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,705
From: Oakland, California
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,705
From: Oakland, California
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,713
From: The Golden State
Are they kidding?!! Passenger cars must reach 35 mpg in 7 years?! Passenger cars are averaging CAFE measured 30 mpg last year!!.... Before gas climbed to almost $4 per gallon.
For those of you who go into vaporlock at the mere thought of any CAFE standard, that's roughly the same mileage increase that car makers had to do in the 1st 5 years under the old CAFE and a mere 3 years after that (1982 CAFE jumped 5 mpg over what was required in 79).
Back then automakers didn't have fuel prices skyroketing to help them along.
Trucks also increase 5 mpg, from 23.5 last year (before fuel jumped to a national average of $3.55) to 28.6.
A show of hands of people who don't think $4 per gallon gas this summer, $5 per gallon gas within the next year and a half, and potentially $6 per gallon gas early next decade is going to cause these goals to be met early.
For those of you who go into vaporlock at the mere thought of any CAFE standard, that's roughly the same mileage increase that car makers had to do in the 1st 5 years under the old CAFE and a mere 3 years after that (1982 CAFE jumped 5 mpg over what was required in 79).
Back then automakers didn't have fuel prices skyroketing to help them along.
Trucks also increase 5 mpg, from 23.5 last year (before fuel jumped to a national average of $3.55) to 28.6.
A show of hands of people who don't think $4 per gallon gas this summer, $5 per gallon gas within the next year and a half, and potentially $6 per gallon gas early next decade is going to cause these goals to be met early.
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,713
From: The Golden State
A little side note to everyone who looks at the window sticker and sees the EPA mileage estimates.... Those numbers mean nothing regarding CAFE requirements!
CAFE estimates are considerably more generous that the EPA mileage estimates you see on the windows and read in mileage guides.
So regardless as to whatever is on the window sticker, all things equal to today (which it won't be, smaller vehicles sales will increase) if it averages a just 5 mpg improvement by 2015, it passes.
Throw in the credits GM will get for the Volt as well as credits for Hybrids and E85 capable vehicles, as well as the inevitable sales drops in trucks and large vehicles, and GM alone just might make the 2015 CAFE number a few years early I suspect.
CAFE estimates are considerably more generous that the EPA mileage estimates you see on the windows and read in mileage guides.
So regardless as to whatever is on the window sticker, all things equal to today (which it won't be, smaller vehicles sales will increase) if it averages a just 5 mpg improvement by 2015, it passes.
Throw in the credits GM will get for the Volt as well as credits for Hybrids and E85 capable vehicles, as well as the inevitable sales drops in trucks and large vehicles, and GM alone just might make the 2015 CAFE number a few years early I suspect.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 976
From: SE MI
Dont bet on it, the Volt is still at least 3 years away. 28.6 mpg for light trucks by 2015? Thats not highway, thats a combined average of city/highway. The cash cow will disappear for domestic auto manufacturers.
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,448
From: Irving, TX
It would be interesting to see the CAFE ratings somewhere for current vehicles available today.
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Posts: 1,448
From: Irving, TX
This is already going away with competition and higher fuel prices. The domestics really need to get better cars. The malibu/aura are good examples of GM doing this. Now, they need it for a new cobalt and aveo.
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,705
From: Oakland, California
The Cobalt is slated to get the 1.4L Ecotec next year, so that should help fuel mileage.
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Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 10,285
From: Albany, NY
When gas hits $6 (probably in 2 years) the public will be demanding cars with 35mpg minimum.
Last edited by Z28x; Apr 22, 2008 at 07:06 PM.
