Raise gas mileage requirements by 40 percent or face extinction?

Sometimes the auto industry has to get its butt kicked. Of course it boils down to dollars and cents. This is not going to be cheap and the Big 3 knows this, but they should not lobby against it unless it is proven to be too much (which it does not appear to be). Detroit needs to improve its image and do what it can or face the music.

Atleast GM is currently implimenting Active fuel management and next year will have what appears to be a gr8 hybrid setup for its vehicles (Trucks and autos). Japan has been playing it smart and building cheap efficient autos all along. The Big 3 is just now getting into the swing of things.

This is the same argument the automaker made when they were forced to comply with the EPA standards in the 70's. “We can't do it.” Then along came the catalytic converter and they made it happen. Yes, it took tremendous investment but they were forced to innovate to do it.

The big three typically are more concerned with paying dividends than real investment in the future. Sound a bit like the oil companies, “we make record profits and pay record dividends, but we need money researching for more oil. Plus our refineries are at capacity even if we found more oil”. There has not been a new refinery since Gerald Ford was in office.

The big three are singing the same song. In the boom years they were busy reaping in profits and spending them, now the luck has run out and they are begging for mercy. I have no sympathy for them, too eager to take the money and run and not invest in new technologies for the future. At sometime the government needs to hold them accountable, they have a responsibility to the nation to maintain themselves. This may be that time.

2017 is too far. Gm and Ford must have better mileage engines in 5 years. The cost of running big V8 gas engines is simply getting too high. Diesel engines is the quickest fix for the time being, until they discover a more fuel efficient and environment friendlier engine that does not sacrifice performance.

I think the best way is to put gas guzzler tax on SUVs and pickups.

Don't discriminate against SUVs and pick-ups simply have a gas guzzler tax on all light vehicles (say under 7000lb) of $100 for each 1mpg under 20mpg EPA city, and $100 for each 1mpg under 30mpg EPA highway. So a purchaser of a Chrysler 300 SRT8, as an example would pay $1,600 in extra taxes [EPA rating is 14 city/20 highway].

In order to remain revenue neutral, I suggest that any tax revenue raised should be shared by buyers of the most fuel efficient vehicles - regardless of whether they are hybrid, diesel, small vehicle etc.

I like the idea of a driver in fuel efficient cars, such as a Honda Civic, saying thank you to Chrysler [for example] drivers - because of the rebate he/she receives from the Chrysler drivers.

Between poor marketing, poor styling, poor quality, excessive labor and health-care costs and "Unpatriotic" consumers like me who couldn't care less about buying American....Detroit is doomed regardless of what kind of milage they can get.

I'll give Ford and Chrysler some credit; at least they're producing a few models that people want. Arrogant GM refuses to listen to what the American consumer wants, and I won't feel the least bit sorry for them when they go belly-up.

Feinstein is a complete idiot. Comparing the costs of raising fuel economy 40% to the costs of seat belts? Here's an idea, butt out. The market is taking care of itself. People are demanding more fuel effecient vehicles without your "help."

Ted,
What the He$$ have you been reading. Credit to Ford and Chrysler? Maybe to Chrysler but Ford is a joke. You need to do some more research before you start spouting off Bad info. Stay off the lib sights. If you do some real research you will see that GM has plenty of cars and trucks that are selling very well and are getting high marks in quality and fuel efficient vehicles. Have you looked at the GM cars and trucks? Have you driven any? If you have not actually dome some detailed research on GM cars and trucks then you should not be talking. That includes going out and driving some of these cars. Ford? Ford has the worst gas mileage cars and trucks overall then any other big car company. And there vehicles are out of date. Even the Fusion has a chassis on it that is three years old. Fords Non Hybrid small Escape gets worse gas mileage than the full size Tahoe.
Many of you get on this site and tout your little comments but you aren’t doing the research you need to do to make your comments reliable.
One thing a lot of people keep ignoring is the fact that gas prices will come down. Why? The Auto industry will come out with more fuel efficient vehicles as long as the public demands them. If the public demands fuel economy up around 40 MPG then that’s what the Auto industry will come up with even in SUV’s. There is a problem with all this though. If the Auto industry comes out with more and more fuel efficient cars then America’s gas consumption will go down. The oil company doesn’t want that. The oil companies will in turn lower the gas price and then a lot of people will start forgetting about great gas mileage. If people want the Auto industry to keep putting out fuel efficient cars then they need to keep pressure on them. This whole thing has actually just started and the Auto industry including the American will catch up and go further than some of you can comprehend. Just like the stupid terrorists some of you have no idea what the American people and the American companies are capable of.
If we don’t let up on our demands then we will see outstanding things from the Auto industry. If we do relax everything will go back to the way it was. This time I think the American companies will prevail and the oil companies will slip into a much smaller part of the market. I sure hope.

Steve

Ted you have to smoke less pot!I have been researching economy cars and to my findings chev & toyota are no 1 for small cars in fuel efficiency!Basically identical.I am considering the 2007 Camry or the chev Impalla because it can carry 6 people with comparable (close)fuel mielage. Honda isn't as efficient but probably third place,Oh The volkswagon jetta diesel is no 1 but I probably wouldn't consider it because of reliability issues and cost up front and high maitenance/parts cost would be high.Mazda takes the cake on the worst fuel consumption!The mazda-5 micro van consumes the same gas as a 2007 tahoe!Why don't we hear anyone complaining about mazda?When you load up the "efficient" honda pickup & towing I have read they were only getting 10 miles to the gallon.Why do they get praise for that?Chev has the most efficient 1/2 ton hands down!Why does America love to hate themselves?I like this wacky liberal ladies idea and it can be done!There was a guy in the news that ran his escort wagon on water (hydrogen)4 ounces water/100km! with the gas motor!& two altinators.Google water powered car!