I don't understand what the problem is. look around at the rest of the world and fuel economy is already much higher than what the proposed standards are to be. most of these companies just don't want to bring the technology over the big blue.

Talking about the auto industry in major denial. Higher CAFE standard should have been enacted 10 years ago, and that would have saved the Big 3 in a big way.

Oil prices have waxed and waned, thus can't be depended solely as the means for improving fuel efficiency.
Plus, there is a long time lag of years between the rise in oil price and auto industry introduction of fuel-efficient vehicles. Meanwhile, the public always wanted bigger and more powerful vehicles, and the automakers want to produce those for higher profit margin.

With CAFE, the automakers are forced to produce a significant numbers of smaller cars having higher fuel efficiency without necessarily incurring any extra development or production cost, and the public thus will have more choices of fuel-efficient vehicles to buy. No need to dabble in expensive hybrid technology just to get higher mpg numbers. Just downsizing the vehicle fleet and making 'em more aerodynamic, instead of making SUV's with super-duper large bore engines, having the in-your-face aerodynamic of a brick, would vastly improve the CAFE number.

What was the famous line? Playing the violin while Rome burned?

"To do something trivial and irresponsible in the midst of an emergency; legend has it that while a fire destroyed the city of Rome, the emperor Nero played his violin, thus revealing his total lack of concern for his people and his empire."

...take the market rules into account.
There is no need for a law that regulates fuel consumption of each car.
There should be only strict emmission rules!
The rest is would be done by the price of fuel and the money people want and are able to give for the gallon.

I agree that the CAFE standards should have been raised years ago, it would have saved us from our own greed and driven technology.
Also, the market is now correcting that error and the big three are learning the hardway. How stupid can they be?

Mike
And just where do you think that those foreign car companies sell the most cars? That's right, in america. So of course they're going to oppose legislation like this in america. Well I say, show me where I can help get the bill passed to raise the CAFE standard. These companies just ticked me off. Is there anyone out there where I can start forking money over to to start an advertising campaign against this campaign?

Just goes to show you how little respect Big Auto has for its customer! They believe that with a big PR campaign they can convince the American driver that mileage goals are not needed. This has always been the answer by Big Auto, plow more money into lobbyists, lawyers and ad men to control the industry, and not where it would really do the most good...R & D.

These are the people who have the the majority of U.S. citizens talked into driving huge SUVs at 16 mpg knowing the price increases by Big Oil were on the way. Right now they are in the process of dumping their gasoline SUVs at discount prices which will destroy their CAFE contracts and they know they cannot meet the standards without changing their business plan to include efficient smaller automobiles. An area where the margin is smaller than selling huge trucks and SUVs.

America, don't fall for this crap! It will not serve you well and will create another set of problems down the line; I suspect the problems will be expensive diesel engine/large auto related as that's what they are setting up to sell as an answer to fuel economy. Instead of gasoline powered huge SUVs they will attempt to sell diesel powered huge SUVs and claim how good the mileage from 16 mpg SUVs to 20 mpg SUVs are.

I suggest everyone demand their Congressmen vote for the new CAFE standards because that's the only chance we have to hold Big Autos feet to the fire of good sense.

This is an interesting coalition of automakers. And it includes some that already have fuel efficient vehicles (Toyota and Mazda).

Given Jevon's Paradox, I'm curious what the effect of the CAFE standards was on consumption when gasoline prices dropped below $1 in places in the late 90s.

CAFE is a failed policy. Why do you want to extend it? Because it makes you feel good?

P.S. Thanks for pointing me to the web-site Jack.

Has the automakers lost their F---ing minds. This campaign is the most ridculous this I have ever heard of. They should take the million dollars wasted on the this stupid campaign and put it to better use. Like building a real full size truck that gets a minimum of 40 mpg. CAFE standards should have been increased every ten years since the 70s or until someone comes out with a new type of engine that uses a renewable source of energy.

Looking at this page http://www.autoalliance.org/fuel/?PHPSESSID=d82675ce8faca9ab3d388ea01715697f

I have to say I like "Motivate consumers to conserve fuel and to consider buying one of the many fuel-efficient autos on sale today." So how do you do this, fuel taxes, stick a carbon tax on the fuel. CAFE does not address peoples behaviour like a fuel tax would. To avoid a major shock to people ramp it up over a few years but I feel this would really change peoples behavior. If you know gas will cost $6 or more what would you look for in your next car.

Oh don't like that, want the somewhat (compaired to other western countries) cheap US fuel? CAFE is a cop-out for politicians whe fear the backlash of a fuel tax. That would be most of them BTW:

Let me explain for those that think CAFE is a great Idea:

The median age of a passenger vehicle in the US is almost 9 years. So a new car today may well be used for 18 years, more considering that cars are better built now than in the early 90's which would be some of the oldest cars in the current "fleet". That 35 MPG CAFE doesn't kick in for over a decade. So we won't get the 35 MPG average in the vehicle fleet for about another 25-30 years years or more. Consumer demand for higher MPG would bring this about much quicker. Fuel tax, yes the AAM will hate it too.

One last thing, stop blaming "Detroit", lots of automakers are building fuel hogs including Toyota (AAM member).

lol, CAFE is a failed policy. Yeah right. That's why fuel efficiency has doubled since the 70s and we still get to drive big, comfortable, safe vehicles. Get a clue.

Automakers were also in Europe against the EU 120 G / KM CO2 Rule as "impossibel" but foregot that AUDI himself produced in the Year 2000 already the AUDI A2 1.2 which had a record of only 81 G / KM of CO2 without hybrid ( better then the about same interior size Prius2 with 104 G / KM ) .

So today it is eve more easy to produce efficient ars !!

C. Spangenberg