Says car makers will have to get 35 MPG by 2112 (?). I think that means that your entire fleet that you sell yearly has to avg 35 mpg. But even the MCS doesn't get 35 MPG. I assume the 35 is average between city/hway. I only get 30 in town. Does anyone know more details? Frankly I don't see hardly any popular cars (let alone SUVs/trucks) that average 35. How can that be done? I'm just curious if someone knows more about it.

 

Dude, 2112. Thats more than 100 years from now, lol. By that point we won't be using gas period.

 

It will encourage a lot of technology improvements (E85, GDI, smaller engines w/ VVT and turbo). I work at an automaker, and while the "big bosses" are flipping out, we at the tech center look at it as an opportunity to learn more and play with lots of cool new toys.

 

E85 is not the answer to more MPG. It may produce fewer "bad" oxides of this and that, but E85 means a big drop in MPG. voer goo old unleaded gasoline.
Perhaps car companies can buy some scooter manufacturers and average those sales into their overall fleet average to reach 35MPG. Maybe we voters can provide small scooters to all Federal officials as their only approved personal transportation device.

 

The average is for a car producer, which is one of the reasons BMW bought MINI so they can make high MPG cars in the MINI to raise their manufacturer MPG and still offer low mpg BMW performance cars. So look for even better MPG versions of the Cooper to come!

 

Oh and E85 is not the answer. Soon farmers will choose to produce E85 corn over food production because of the profit, which means food costs will raise dramatically. Life is full of little trade offs. Before you think that electricity is the answer, consider how they, one, make electricity, and two what it takes to produce batteries. Batteries do a lot more harm than people think... pound for pound for the environment the H3 is better than a Prius Hybrid

 

A whole new level of ridiculously tall 5th and 6th gears. The Corvette already does this on some level. The American V8 stays intact but seriously out mpgs the MINI on the highway between "shutting down" "unneeded" cyl. and tall 6th gear and the lack of a rolling brick.

 

And I think Newt meant 2012, right?

 

Did anybody notice the weight cut-off? Don't Hummers get excluded from this?

 

Make that ALL gov't employees and you have my vote.


To the OP, yeah, it will be interesting. Europe can do it because of a plethora of micro cars (Smart, Nissan Micra). Just can't see those selling volume in the USofA.

 

E85 will continue to grow in popularity as long as we grow corn and the gov't subsidizes it and allows CAFE and fuel economy credits for producing cars that use it. No one really likes it - you need expensive hardware and control systems since ethanol eats engines and fuel systems. It does lower economy, and while it does reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it has a whole 'nother problem with alcohol and aldehyde emissions. Pick your poison, I suppose.

I haven't looked close enough at the weight cut-off, but I know it's higher than it was previously. Which, of course, makes it even more difficult to meet.

Even my brand spankin' new R56 is only certified as ULEV2. Most everything will have to be SULEV and PZEV to meet California's proposed rules and what will likely cascade to the federal level eventually.

Job security for me. That is, as long as my employer doesn't just throw in the towel and decide they can just sell more cars in India without the hassle.

 

Somehow I'm sure the massive SUVs/Trucks that cause so many problems will be left out...at least they appear to be 'trying' now...

 

Popular Mechanics said it was 2020 that it would take effect, however, I'm finding different dates all over the web.

 

E85 is just an inefficiant substitute for dino oil that most cars are not supposed to use. We need to look to Europe and their excellent small diesels for guidance. A diesel hybrid has the potential to get great fuel economy. Americans are spoiled when it comes to cheap fuel and the availabilty of old technology vehicles. What it will take is a change of attitude by car buyers to embrace what Europe already practices. Maybe even banning the sale of low efficiency vehicles like pickup trucks and SUV's. Assuming that the national will exists, there is plenty of room for high fuel economy in the united states. Another provision in the law is the ban on sales of incandescent light bulbs. This is a good law all the way around and long overdue.

 

Meh. Fine if you don't actually need to SEE anything when you turn on the light.:impatient I've got a brand new screw in flourescent in my pantry - turn on light, go do something else until light becomes bright enough to see by, then leave light on vs. turning off because I may need something in the pantry later....
I'll be the guy hoarding the incandescents before the ban goes into effect.

Diesels would be great but oops, they don't pass CAs emissions standards.

 

Dont know what brand of compact fluorescents that you have, but mine come on bright immediately.,just like an incandecent.

 

There are instant-on flourescents. I have replaced every light bulb in my house with instant-on flourescents. At 14W, they put out more light with less harsh shadows than the 60W bulbs they replaced. Cut our electric bill by 7% overall.

Just look on the package for bulbs marked using "QuickStart" technology. "Commercial Electric" makes the best replacement bulb on the market, as far as I am concerned.

 

<rant> Banning incancesdents is really a ridiculous idea. E85 is terrible also- wrecking engines, raising food prices, lower mileage, more pollutants- just lousy all around. Raising the cafe standards is a joke too- I hope this thing gets vetoed or overturned. (I have no idea where it is in the process.)

Keep the government out of it and let people buy what they want. </rant>

 

We have been phasing these into our house, when I was leaving before 5am I'd know if I got the right switch (we have a bank of 5 that does two rooms and a halway and one we haven't figured out in 11 years of living here) if I could enter the room before the bulb turned on.

 

I meant 2012! I'd just like to know if somehow big trucks/SUVs get excluded. I'd guess that fleet sales (delivery trucks) get ignored. And it really doesn't matter if high mileage deisels give off slightly higher emissions if they get way better mpg. The e85 rule is kind of a joke imo. The Mini won't even run right on that mixture. Can't get that stuff in AZ. My pal's Hummer H2 gets 12 mpg. That's horrible. I hate to say it but a heavier fuel tax would help a lot IF they used the money to entice people to buy more efficient cars (ie lower their prices). You'd have 2 reasons to buy one then-they cost less and you pay less to drive one.

 

Holy uneducated post Batman!

I think the most accurate thing in the post was your statement "(I have no idea where it is in the process.)"

At least you're trying..

 

Not sure if I am reading this right or not. Are you saying the bulbs you got do not do the instant-on thing? The bulbs I have certainly do. I cannot tell the difference between them and the incandescents they replaced as far as how fast they turn on.

 

I am totally converted to Flourescent light bulbs. I have had only one fail over the last 3 years. I find replacing a 60 watt incandescent with a 60 watt flourescent to not yield enough light so suggest replacing it with a 100 watt flourescent. That makes it about equal IMHO>

 

<rant>
I'd like to see the US _leading_ the efficiency race. There is a bright future there!

Unfortunately our so-called leaders refuse to lead.

Instead they manipulate our fear reflex, which triggers baby behavior.

Whaaaaaaa. I must have my Suburban/Land Rover/Etc. because I am afraid. Whaaaaaaa. I must have my incandescent lights because I am used to them. Whaaaaa. I don't want to be inconvenienced or have to change. Whaaaa. It can't be done. Whaaaaa.

Saying it can't be done guarantees that it won't be done. On the other hand, the higher you aim, the higher you will reach.
</rant>

 

+1000