Obama Criticizes Automakers on Fuel Economy

Obama Criticizes Automakers on Fuel Economy

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DETROIT, May 7 ? Senator Barack Obama of Illinois criticized American auto companies today for doing too little to lessen the nation?s dependence on foreign oil and said the United States must adopt a more aggressive energy policy.

In a speech that hit hard at the failings of Detroit automakers, Mr. Obama, a Democratic presidential candidate, said Japanese companies had done far better than their Detroit counterparts to develop energy efficient vehicles.

Mr. Obama, speaking to a sold-out meeting of the Economic Club of Detroit, proposed stricter fuel economy standards, wading into a debate under way in Washington on increasing the corporate average fuel economy, now at 27.5 miles a gallon for cars and 24 miles a gallon for light trucks.

?For years, while foreign competitors were investing in more fuel-efficient technology for their vehicles, American automakers were spending their time investing in bigger, faster cars,? he said, according to a text of his remarks. ?And whenever an attempt was made to raise our fuel efficiency standards, the auto companies would lobby furiously against it, spending millions to prevent the very reform that could?ve saved their industry.?

Mr. Obama was making his first visit to Detroit since beginning his presidential campaign. Significantly, he was introduced by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick of Detroit, also a Democrat, who has not endorsed a presidential candidate.

Mr. Kilpatrick called Mr. Obama ?presumably, maybe the next president of the United States.? Mr. Obama received a standing ovation before his speech, a rarity for an Economic Club event.

In his speech, Mr. Obama proposed stricter fuel economy standards, greater availability of tax credits to consumers who buy hybrids or other ultra-efficient vehicles and subsidies to help automakers pay health care expenses in return for greater investment in advanced technology.

He asserted that his proposals would save the United States 2.5 million barrels of oil a day, which he said would be the equivalent of halting oil imports from the Middle East and would remove 50 million cars? worth of pollution from the road.

Reply to
Jim Higgins
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Obama Criticizes Automakers on Fuel Economy

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DETROIT, May 7 < CONDENSED AND PARAPHRASED - SEE LINK ABOVE >

Senator Barack Obama criticized American auto companies for doing too little to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil. He said that for years foreign competitors invested in more fuel-efficient vehicle technology while American automakers invested in bigger, faster cars. He advocated:

__ Increasing average fuel economy standards above 27.5 mpg for cars and 24 mpg for light trucks.

__ Having taxpayers pay subsidies for buyers of ultra-efficient vehicles.

__ Having taxpayers pay subsidies for autoworkers health insurance costs.

He asserted that his proposals would save the U. S. 2.5 million barrels of oil a day, and would remove 50 million cars? worth of pollution from the road. ____________________________________________________________

That will require some technology. If there are 150 million cars on the road daily, they would all suddenly have to get 33 percent better gas mileage to remove that much pollution.

This is not likely because technology (American and foreign) has wrung about all of the mpg possible from fossil fuel. Almost all of the future gains in fuel mileage will come from just making cars smaller and lighter. The risk is meeting a Ford Expedition in one of these tiny Obamamobiles.

Mr. Obama's call for new programs to be supported by increased taxes could be a sample of what to expect if a Democrat is elected President.

Good luck.

Rodan.

Reply to
Rodan

It's possible to make some very safe small cars- the Renault Modus springs to mind.

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It's also possible to increase fuel economy by switching to smaller engines (e.g. the standard powerplant in a British Focus is 1.6 liter compared with 2.0 liters in the US) or by switching to diesel engines.

33% is certainly an ambitous target- the British government is aiming for 20%, (although, arguably, we are starting from a lower base)
Reply to
ryouwho

Typical politician, easy answers to complex questions, that sound great to the unwashed to get their vote LOL

mike

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Reply to
Mike Hunter

What? Dimocrats raise taxes on the American working man? Whoda thunk it LOL

mike

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Reply to
Mike Hunter

......It's possible to increase fuel economy by switching to smaller engines (e.g. the standard powerplant in a British Focus is 1.6 liter compared with 2.0 liters in the US) or by switching to diesel engines. __________________________________________________

The displacement of the engine has almost nothing to do with fuel mileage in a given car. A small engine will not provide significantly better mileage than a large engine equipped with the same throttle bore.

But a smaller engine does have mileage benefits unrelated to its displacement. Its smaller size makes it lighter, whereas reducing vehicle weight is the most efficient way to increase mileage. Plus, its smaller size allows the car surrounding it to be smaller and lighter, whereas reducing vehicle weight is the most efficient way to increase mileage.

Unless Americans decide to extract cheap domestic oil or to generate cheap, clean nuclear power we are doomed to pay the Ayatollahs more and more for our energy and to drive smaller and smaller matchbox cars.

Good luck.

Rodan.

Reply to
Rodan

A Camry is a prime example of a car with the wrong engine, a smaller engine is not necessary more efficient, depending on where one lives.

Eight out of ten Camrys sold in the US have the 4 cy engine. However if you live in mountainous parts of the county you will do just as good or better with the V6 than the four because you can operate in the higher gears more of the time.

mike

Reply to
Mike Hunter

My car downshifted going uphill!!! The world is ending!! The world is ending!!!

What percentage of those 4-cylinder Camrys dop you suppose were sold to people who had owned a 4-cylinder Camry already, found it perfectly satisfactory and saw no reason to move up?

Toyota dealers have about a 45 day supply of Camrys, which they sell at good prices. Chevy dealers have a 90 day supply of Impalas which come with a manly base V6 engine or an available 8, which they then discount heavily to move off the lots. How can this be???

Gosh! People must think 4-cylinder cars are OK!

Reply to
DH

....Toyota dealers have about a 45 day supply of Camrys, which they sell at good prices. Chevy dealers have a 90 day supply of Impalas which come with a manly base V6 engine or an available 8, which they then discount heavily to move off the lots. How can this be? People must think

4-cylinder cars are OK! _______________________________________________

No, they don't. They are forced to drive small lightweight underpowered cars because of crushing gas prices. Any reasonable person would prefer a roomier, more comfortable, more powerful and safer car if he had a choice.

Rodan.

Reply to
Rodan

I have a 1 liter Fiesta, my dad has a much larger car for work.....it's harder to park, harder to manouvere, more stressful to drive, dearer to insure, more expensive to run (no matter how cheap gas is) and to repair than mine, and has more gadgets to go wrong.

Give me my Ford Fiesta 'subcompact' anyday.

As for 'more powerful' a modern 1 liter car can do 80mph plus comfortably. I'm not sure what the US speed limit is these days, but it's surely less than that?

Reply to
ryouwho

I do have a choice and I'm happy with my 4-cylinder cars. Camry owners have a choice; the V6 is just an extra $1K or so and the fuel economy only falls by 12%. That's not a freaking big deal, considering the overall cost of owning and maintaining a car. For an extra few bucks on the monthly payment and merely an extra $12 or so in gas every month, they could be driving a V6 Camry. Most people still buy the I4.

Reply to
DH

I think the big oil guys would feel a real pinch, if everyone JUST drove the posted speed limit! my 2 cents, John

Reply to
JRnNC

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