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What Does GM Think About the New CAFE Standards?
Rick Wagoner
As we mentioned in our last post, the House has agreed on an average CAFE fuel economy standard of 35 mpg by 2020, with separate requirements for trucks and autos; a 40% increase from present requirements.
The bill has not been fully presented publicly yet, and Bush will still have to vote on it.
GM Chairman Rick Wagoner has already issued his comments saying the rules pose:
“a significant technical and economic challenge to the industry”
and that GM plans to meet the goals:
“with an array of engineering, research and development resources. We will continue our aggressive pursuit of advance technologies that will deliver more products with more energy solutions to our customers”
Source: (Bloomberg)
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Posted by: Lyle
19 Responses to “What Does GM Think About the New CAFE Standards?”
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December 2nd, 2007 at 12:32 pm
I hope the CAFE standards are a challenge for the industry. I also wanted to say that I think Mr. Wagoner & Lutz are doing a great job on all fronts. I hope Exxon-Mobil will be a positive force for batteries and our Country. I’m looking forward to the Volt and believe it is the right car at the right time. The public utilities need to get with the “program” of low carbon and a new form electrical grid interaction.
December 2nd, 2007 at 12:48 pm
I only wish the target was sooner than 2020. Do you think the American people will end their addiction to SUVs, Minivans, Hummers, and all other Urban Assult Vehicles?!?
I fear regulations are moving too slow to help save the humanrace from destroying the Earth and the Environment.
December 2nd, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Gambling with innovation to overcome challenge requires risk, courage and hard work. This is what made America great in the first place. GM lost their way in the last quarter of the 20th century and they are rediscovering it in the first quarter of the 21st century. They have a way to go yet, but…
Need presents challenge which requires innovation.
Common GM, you can do it!
December 2nd, 2007 at 3:15 pm
[quote comment="17468"] Do you think the American people will end their addiction to SUVs, Minivans, Hummers, and all other Urban Assult Vehicles?!?
[/quote]
I think Americans like camping, RV’s and a safe vehicle. How long till an RV hybrid hits the market, not long me thinks. I think cheap(relatively) vehicles that are clean will be common some day and Americans will use them more than ever. Lutz is probably right when he says “a golden era is ahead for the auto industry”( I paraphased). I just wonder how high the ocean will rise between now and then, and right now that may be the biggest unknown on the planet. I guess the high price of gasoline will snuff-out wasteful vehicles. That’s why I’m in favor of higher gas taxes or higher tax breaks for fuel efficent vehicles, either way works for me. Of course road repairs and construction will have to have funding too. I think GM and the car industry is finally focusing in on the target of sustainability. Lets hope Exxon jumps on the bandwagon soon too. I think CAFE is more politics than reality, just a power struggle of sorts. Like empty campaign promises from wannabe political leaders.
December 2nd, 2007 at 3:55 pm
These new CAFE standards (if they ever get past the President’s desk) will be a good thing for out cause, if implemented correctly. The CAFE standards should take into account PHEV/EREV technology, so say a vehicle that would not, by itself, me the new requirements _would_ meet the stated requirement because it has plug-in capabilities.
CAFE is needed to combat global warming and will also help to ween us further away from oil. How can this not be a good thing?
December 2nd, 2007 at 4:14 pm
I am glad that the CAFE standards are pushing for higher fleet fuel efficiency. The politics and lobbying for 2020 make the standards essentially ineffective. My 1988 Buick Regal got 35 mpg. Corporate greed and uninformed consumers have put our economy and country at serious risk. Consumers loved bigger and bigger commuter vehicles and the car companies were happy to sell them consequently doubling our oil dependence. Government authorities didn’t care, more gas meant more tax revenue. CAFE, if it is approved by the President, is just another example of our representatives trying to convince the voting public that they’re doing something important and constructive while maintaining their ineptitude and status quo.
December 2nd, 2007 at 4:19 pm
David- American’s will end their addiction to gas guzzling monster-trucks when government makes the hard choice of requiring people who drive them to get special licenses that shows they are necessary for their business. I cannot understand how the Detroit automakers can get away with claiming that they are the helpless victims of market forces one day, and then say that government regulation is unnecessary and regressive the next.
p.s., at the risk of sounding like a pompous douche, I’d like to point out the the president doesn’t “vote” on legislation. He either signs it, or vetoes it.
December 2nd, 2007 at 4:59 pm
ameeks- Except the most important “laws” within the last 25 years are by executive order or bills signed with special “signing statements” which means that the president is acting like a King and the balance of power is like the 10 amendment to the US Constitution… DEAD by disregard.
December 2nd, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Ameeks – While we’re on the subject
U.S. Senate Considering Scrapping Freedom of Speech (2 min)
Senate Bill 1959, “Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007″, would strip citizens of the right to speak out against the government, giving the government the arbitrary ability to define an “extremist belief system”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IRl-U1akkA
S. 1959
To establish the National Commission on the Prevention of Violent
Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism, and for other purposes.
Ameeks – While we’re on the subject
U.S. Senate Considering Scrapping Freedom of Speech (2 min)
Senate Bill 1959, “Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007″, would strip citizens of the right to speak out against the government, giving the government the arbitrary ability to define an “extremist belief system”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IRl-U1akkA
S. 1959
To establish the National Commission on the Prevention of Violent
Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism, and for other purposes.
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:s1959is.txt.pdf
(you gotta love that “and for other purposes” part of EVERY bill…)
December 2nd, 2007 at 9:12 pm
Looks like Toyota is getting help with meeting their CAFE requirements whether they want the help or not.
Being true to myself, I must say, if GM doesn’t come through with the Volt (which I really hope they do), then at this point in the technology timeline, the modified Toyota as described in the following link will be my next choice
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/11/29/072143.html
December 2nd, 2007 at 9:31 pm
ameeks Says:
December 2nd, 2007 at 4:19 pm Quote
David- American’s will end their addiction to gas guzzling monster-trucks when government makes the hard choice of requiring people who drive them to get special licenses that shows they are necessary for their business.
=====
Ameeks, in a “free” market economy we don’t “require” people buy anything. It’s wrong out of the starting blocks. We “suggest” by offering tax concessions etc. and we definitely need more of these.
I’ll guarantee you that GM never “gun pointed” anyone to buy these vehicles.
We definitely need change, but I think we’ll both agree that the Volt MUST be built.
M.
December 2nd, 2007 at 11:37 pm
“a significant technical and economic challenge to the industry’’
Automakers could meet that requirement next year if they HAD to. There are European countries that have full electric vehicles RIGHT NOW that use NO gas or oil. This isn’t much of a step forward at all. What a crock.
December 3rd, 2007 at 12:08 am
No, they probably couldn’t meet any small challenge within a year, let alone a major.
Different part of the world, different requirements/standards.
MUCH easier said than done, especially for “arm chair quarterbacks”.
M.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:31 am
I feel guilty every time i start my car. I love to drive and do it anyway. I am afraid to speak out for electric cars. People were persecuted for speaking out for the electric trolleys when they were being systematically detroyed by big oil and GM. What is the point of trying. The science has always been there. It is a power struggle for monopoly of energy.
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:58 am
[quote comment="17534"]I feel guilty every time i start my car. I love to drive and do it anyway. I am afraid to speak out for electric cars. People were persecuted for speaking out for the electric trolleys when they were being systematically detroyed by big oil and GM. What is the point of trying. The science has always been there. It is a power struggle for monopoly of energy.[/quote]
Write a book.
Talk to Al Gore.
Talk to Mickael Moore
Write a story for a magazine like THE New Yorker
Now is as good a time as any.
Contact “60 minutes” on CBS.
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:40 am
RANT WARNING:
I see a vision, I see a repeat of “The Insider” starring Russell Crowe.
Big-Oil will continue to fight EVs until they control the market on batteries. I DO NOT trust Big-Oil and I DO NOT trust the political machine in place now to “seriously” encourage anything renewable.
If there is still one drop of oil left in the system Big-Oil will want to force it down our throats.
December 3rd, 2007 at 12:18 pm
Attaboy Rick! Stop whining and lobbying and get it done.
Whoever cannot meet those requirements by 2020, when gasoline is $6.00/gal (optimistic?) will be driven out of business by the market anyway.
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:37 pm
In 1985 the CAFE standard was set at 25 mpg.
By 2020 the CAFE standard will be 35 mpg.
Why will it take 35 years to get a 10 mpg increase?
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:51 pm
Simply put…facing the current CAFE standards, meeting or not meeting will be an issue of E-REV or PHEV. No question about it.
This is good, because it means that the Volt will be produced.
M.