Obama Proposes Rules For

Automakers to Meet 35.5 MPG

Barack Obama, the President of United State announced new tougher fuel economy standards to take effect in 2012 in May. His administration released the proposed 1,227-page set of regulations for implementing the standards this week, which require cars to average 35.5 mpg by 2016.

The regulations clearly state that auto companies can meet the new standards largely by using existing technologies. These improvements including the engines, transmissioans, and tires; improvements in air-conditioning system; increased use of start-stop technology; increased use of hybrid and other advanced technologies; and the initial commercialization of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

As usual, the devil is in the details. For instance:

• Automakers would be allowed to ‘carry on’ building and importing all classes of vehicles, from the smallest sub-compacts to the largest SUVs.
• Under the regulations, carmakers will continue to be able to claim mpg credits-amounting to a reduction of 1 to 1.5 miles per gallon if fully employed-by selling so-called flex-fuel vehicles capable of using a blend of ethanol and gasoline.
• Automakers advertising less than 400,000 vehicles in the US-including BMW, Mercedes, Subaru and Volkswagen-would be allowed to meet a weaker standard.

The regulations now go through a 60-day public comment period. The US Chamber of Commerce and a group of automakers are predicted to challenge the rules in court.

Another articles by Johan Young you may interest in reading: How to Reduce Your Contribution to Global Warming, Ford Escape Hybrid, Hybrid Car Dealers, Mercedes Benz E320 Bluetec, and Hybrid Cars 2005.

source: hybridcars.com