Voters want better gas mileage, and sooner
In a survey of 30 congressional districts in the Midwest and Southeast, it was "found that nearly nine out of ten voters want mandatory increases in fuel efficiency." In fact, to be specific, they want the House of Representatives to pass the same CAFE standards as the Senate passed two months ago: 35 mpg for cars and trucks by 2020, and chose that over a slightly less strict competing bill. Even more startling: 85% of the respondents wanted compliance brought up to 2018.
Having said that, we can't help but think the results are slightly skewed. If the survey question wasn't entirely loaded, there were at least a couple of rounds in the cylinder. Essentially, respondents were asked to agree with one of two statements: carmakers should not have to make cars with better gas mileage because if they do it will make everything worse for America and you won't be able to buy an SUV, or, carmakers should have to make cars with better gas mileage because it will make everything better for America and you'll save money and we won't rely so much on foreign oil. Let me see...
According to the survey, voters apparently saw no negative consequences from mandating higher CAFE standards, with up to 81% believing that vehicles would remain just as powerful, just as safe, workers wouldn't lose their jobs, and the need to innovate would invigorate the economy. There is undoubtedly a desire for more fuel efficient vehicles, with a lot of room on all sides for the various parties to come up with workable solutions that benefit the most and harm the least. There could also, however, be surveys that do a better job of highlighting that fact.
[Source: Green Car Congress]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
YouFaceTheTick 1:34PM (8/03/2007)
CAFE standards haven't gone up since the first Bush admin. There is something really wrong with that.
Reply
dan 1:55PM (8/03/2007)
And a 5 gallon can still only holds 5 gallons of water! This is an outrage!
John Cressy 10:15PM (8/03/2007)
I remember when there weren't any CAFE Standards. I also remember gas wars about 35 years ago (1970-1972) when you could get leaded regular for a dime a gallon. I was in North Dakota and in Illinois during that time. I had a 340 Duster that used Premium and I had to pay about a Quarter a gallon. When did the CAFE standards start? Was it 1977 through 1981 during the Carter administration? Was it raised during 1993 through 2001 during the Clinton administration? Does anyone remember Nixon established the EPA and he was president when lead was removed from gasoline. Just remember Congress passes bills and the president signs them into law. Try plowing snow, hauling a trailer, or towing a car with a pickup truck that gets 35 mpg on gas. It can't be done now and won't happen in 10 years. Diesel yes. They will cost mucho denars.
Bonita 3:38PM (8/03/2007)
Gas mileage is going to continue to be an issue with the stupid rednecks who purchase Lincoln Navigators, Cadillac Escalades, Hummers, Dodge Rams, etc.
Honda, Nissan and Toyota offer fuel efficient cars manufactured with build-quality. Why not buy a Prius instead of a Lincoln Town Car or Caddy de Ville? Duh ...
Reply
david 10:01AM (8/06/2007)
Nice intelligent comment, really does a good job at furthering society. Good for youuuu.
... 10:50PM (8/03/2007)
That really was an ignorant and immature comment.
autohobby 1:39PM (8/03/2007)
Americans want their Excursions to get 50MPG and, by golly, there are plenty of politicians out there who can give it to them!
Reply
Compy386 1:45PM (8/03/2007)
Yup, that sounds about right.
"I'll say it before and I'll say it again, democracy simply does not work."
- Kent Brockman
Joe K. 2:16PM (8/03/2007)
As my Last Manager would say:
"And i want to be 6'4" and have a 14"..."
9 out of 10 people may vote for that too...
Derek 12:26PM (8/05/2007)
Are we really this dumb as a country. We want better gas mileage and instead of just buying cars with better mileage we go to pass a law? Honestly this seems unAmerican. "I want better mileage so I'm going to force it on everybody else." If YOU want 50mpg then go buy a Prius. What if I don't care if I'm getting 25mpg? What happens to my rights? Seig Heil I guess...
I've said this many times - if you want to improve mpg, tax the GAS! Or, hike the gas guzzler tax to a higher rate and include cars that get less than, say 25mpg. Higher prices lead to people buying more fuel effecient cars, and companies making appropriate cars to meet that demand. BUT, at the same time it preserves the ability of those who so choose to buy a car that doesn't get the best mileage if they want to have something more fun to drive.
Ken 1:41PM (8/03/2007)
How many of these 9/10 people think they can still get a Ford Explorer for the same price, same power, and same size - and get 30 MPG? Probably more than you would like to think.
It seems a lot of people think there is some magical switch or part they automakers will put in cars and they will all of a sudden get 50% better gas mileage. They will be in for a rude surprise when they either need to pay a lot more, give up a lot of power, or cut back the size dramatically.
Our nation is obsessed with everything being easy, and it seems people believe that getting significantly better mileage will be cheap, easy, and convenient for them. It will not, there will have to be some sacrifice.
Reply
Mike 3:35PM (8/03/2007)
I cant believe how many people I talk to about cars that claim that GM has a carburetor that allows any engine to get over 100mpg. They claim they have been hiding this technology since the 70's. And of course they know because they have a friend who works on a line for a GM plant somewhere.
John Cressy 10:34PM (8/03/2007)
That's not why 30 minute TV shows were increased to 60 minutes. They can still solve the mystery in the same time. They had to make room for the commercials. People think like fast TV and fast food. They also think that if someone says it can happen it will happen or did happen like 100,000 cops on the street or 100,000 teachers added to the class rooms neither of which ever happened. The sad thing is someone still taking credit for it. When gas went from 30 cents a gallon in 1973 to 60 cents we talked about fuel economy. In 1979 when it went from 65 cents to a dollar we talked about fuel economy. In 1989 it was one dollar and 10 cents a gallon at my local station in New Hampshire and no one was talking fuel economy. Ten years later gas starts spiking over two bucks a gallon and everyone starts talking economy again. What's a car buyer going to do?
ryan 1:42PM (8/03/2007)
haha, that's awesome. i laughed. i cried. especially about their ignorance.
and boy, do i love skewed statistics as much as the next guy!
Reply
phewop118 1:44PM (8/03/2007)
Why are people so fooled into thinking that the CAFE standard needs to be increased? All that will do is increase the price (and decrease the performance and selection) of automobiles and increase the price of gas. I could only see uneducated morons thinking that forcing a higher CAFE standard is good. I don't know how any smart, thinking human beings could possibly want an increase in CAFE standards.
Reply
YouFaceTheTick 1:53PM (8/03/2007)
I don't know how any smart, thinking human can think that mileage will increase again if it's not pushed by the government? The facts of the 70s and 80s speak clearly to the effectiveness of CAFE. The resulting years since Clinton/Bush stopped upping CAFE = power has gone through the roof, weight is at an all-time high and mileage has remained stagnant for over a decade.
The advances are there. The reality is that the manufacturers can see massive profit by pushing out bigger, more powerful cars without much thought to increasing efficiency.
This reminds me of the BS argument that catalytic converters would ruin performance cars. Do you recall the reaction of the auto manus when CARB mandated Catalytic Converters? They filed suit and whined that they couldn't possibly meet the "strict" requirements. Of course, looking back we now know that the auto manufacturers are lying chicken littles who will do anything to avoid making better/more efficient cars.
Compy386 1:58PM (8/03/2007)
Youfacethetick - So your argument is that automakers can make money selling massive cars. That must mean that people want them. So... what's wrong with allowing people to buy what they want? Isn't a free society built on people making choices based on their preferences?
dan 2:04PM (8/03/2007)
Tick,
Total fleet economy for all passenger vehicles increased by about 25% between 1979 and 1982. From that point onwards,
The fleet economy in 1982 was 25.1mpg, against a CAFE requirement at that time of only 17.5mpg. Which is to say people chose to buy high mileage vehicles because there was an oil crisis going on and CAFE did exactly jack s--t.
Smart, thinking humans don't parrot socialist talking points.
gwballin 2:17PM (8/03/2007)
Don't think I can add anything more to what Compy and dan have said. Good work.
YouFaceTheTick 2:24PM (8/03/2007)
While I love the idea of a free market, the reality is that it isn't a free market we live in. The government interferes in all manner of vehicle production. They mandate working seatbelts, airbags, etc. I doubt ANY of you anti-CAFE people also propose we do away with federal safety regs for vehicles. Or do you? Do you want a really free market?
If you say yes, then that's fine and not the least bit hypocritical. But I'm betting most of you WANT the government to make sure your cars arrive with working safety equipment. all of that junk adds weight to a car and shouldn't free thinking Americans have the option to get cars without the safety doodads?