Edmunds.com: Washington, Please Don't Repeat Past Mistakes With CAFE Standards
Edmunds.com: Washington, Please Don't Repeat Past Mistakes With CAFE Standards
SANTA MONICA, Calif. — January 26, 2011 — Today, the CEO of Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, presented to the Society of Automotive Engineers' 2011 Government/Industry Meeting on policy that could help achieve the President's clean air goals.
"In the 1970s and 1980s, new emission, safety and CAFE standards forced automakers to build vehicles the market often did not want, relying on technologies that were not ready for public consumption. Over time, the reputational damage to iconic American brands like Cadillac was huge. In fact, one reason I was a reluctant supporter of the auto bailouts is that the trouble the car companies were in was not entirely of their own making — government policies played a role," stated Edmunds.com CEO Jeremy Anwyl, who offers more on this subject at http://justtoclarify.typepad.com/my-blog/2011/01/learning-from-lessons-of-the-past.html. "The lesson from the past is that effective long-term policies must include consumers' interests. "
"The good news is that today, technology caught up and is yielding a new wave of high tech clean gas and diesel engines that deliver safer, more efficient vehicles at little expense to consumers," continued Anwyl. While the headlines may be about EVs and plug-in hybrids, the real action is with vehicles with advanced technology." Anwyl's examples include:
- the Chevy Camaro 3.6-liter direct-injected V6 engine
- the Ford EcoBoost V6 engine available in the Ford F-150
- the twin independent variable-cam timing and available PowerShift six-speed automatic transmission of the Ford Fiesta, which is rated at 40 mpg
- the Hyundai Elantra 1.8-liter Nu engine, which gets 40 mpg on highways
- the Mercedes-Benz Bluetec diesel
- the Volkswagen TDI clean diesel
"Further out however, however, these approaches will only take us so far. At some point, policy needs to be enacted that tilts the playing field in favor of even cleaner, safer, more efficient vehicles. One obvious—but unpopular—solution would be to phase in a significant increase in the federal gas tax," stated Anwyl.
See http://justtoclarify.typepad.com/my-blog/2011/01/learning-from-lessons-of-the-past.html for more information.
About Edmunds (http://www.edmunds.com/help/about/index.html)
Edmunds publishes Web sites that empower, engage and educate automotive consumers, enthusiasts and insiders. Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, launched in 1995 as the first automotive information Web site and hosts the most established automotive community online. Its mobile site, accessible from any smartphone at www.edmunds.com, makes car pricing and other research tools available for car shoppers at dealerships and otherwise on the go. InsideLine.com is the most-read automotive enthusiast Web site. Its mobile site, accessible from any smartphone at www.insideline.com, features the wireless Web's highest quality car photos and videos. AutoObserver.com provides insightful automotive industry commentary and analysis. Edmunds is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and maintains a satellite office in suburban Detroit. Follow Edmunds.com on Twitter@edmunds and fan Edmunds.com on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/edmunds.
