Right Lane Cruiser
05-22-2009, 07:32 AM
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/AmericanFlag.jpg "Michigan continues to struggle economically, and creating the automotive conditions that enable the U.S. to stay competitive must remain a high priority." (http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2009/05/local_car_dealers_have_mixed_v.html)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2010_Ford_Fusion.jpgRobert C. Burns - The Muskegon Chronicle (http://www.mlive.com) - May 20, 2009
This is a tough environment to introduce new restrictions in. Let's hope for the best! --Ed.
The Obama administration's announced intention to set a single national fuel efficiency standard will probably save people lots of money at the pump and promote cleaner air, but the timing could hardly be worse, say local dealers who sell new cars.
The proposed legislation would require new passenger vehicles produced by U.S. car makers to reach an overall average of 39 miles per gallon by 2016. Light trucks would have to reach 30 mpg in the same period. The current fuel efficiency standard is 27.5 mpg for new cars and 23.1 mpg for new trucks.
Oil consumption would fall by an estimated 1.8 billion barrels and exhaust emissions would be reduced by 900 million metric tons over the life of the program, if the standard goes into effect.
The trade-off is that the cost of meeting those standards would raise the purchase price of a new vehicle by an estimated $1,300.
Chronicle/Cory MorseThe Ford Fusion hybrid has an estimated 41 city miles-per-gallon and 36 highway mpg.
"My question is, is this the right approach with the economy where it sits now?" said Jan Witt of Witt Buick in Muskegon. "They're trying to get the auto industry back on its feet, but this slaps them in the face."
Witt said she recognized the need "to be more fuel efficient in everything we do," and acknowledged that the technology exists to meet the higher standard eventually. But she said she wonders whether it is necessary to... http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2009/05/local_car_dealers_have_mixed_v.html
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2010_Ford_Fusion.jpgRobert C. Burns - The Muskegon Chronicle (http://www.mlive.com) - May 20, 2009
This is a tough environment to introduce new restrictions in. Let's hope for the best! --Ed.
The Obama administration's announced intention to set a single national fuel efficiency standard will probably save people lots of money at the pump and promote cleaner air, but the timing could hardly be worse, say local dealers who sell new cars.
The proposed legislation would require new passenger vehicles produced by U.S. car makers to reach an overall average of 39 miles per gallon by 2016. Light trucks would have to reach 30 mpg in the same period. The current fuel efficiency standard is 27.5 mpg for new cars and 23.1 mpg for new trucks.
Oil consumption would fall by an estimated 1.8 billion barrels and exhaust emissions would be reduced by 900 million metric tons over the life of the program, if the standard goes into effect.
The trade-off is that the cost of meeting those standards would raise the purchase price of a new vehicle by an estimated $1,300.
Chronicle/Cory MorseThe Ford Fusion hybrid has an estimated 41 city miles-per-gallon and 36 highway mpg.
"My question is, is this the right approach with the economy where it sits now?" said Jan Witt of Witt Buick in Muskegon. "They're trying to get the auto industry back on its feet, but this slaps them in the face."
Witt said she recognized the need "to be more fuel efficient in everything we do," and acknowledged that the technology exists to meet the higher standard eventually. But she said she wonders whether it is necessary to... http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2009/05/local_car_dealers_have_mixed_v.html