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47 comments on Let's Discuss: H.R. 6107, the American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act

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HARM on May 22, 2008 - 7:36pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Links please? I don't doubt that the Big 3 could be doing *much* better, but 80 mpg is above even the best foreign hybrid & subcompact models today.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bestworst.shtml

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Will Stewart on May 22, 2008 - 7:47pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2000/03/35335
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3012/is_1_180/ai_59035635

GM, along with Ford Motor Company and Daimler Chrysler Corporation, have been participating in the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV), a multimillion dollar research and development effort sponsored by the federal government. This year marks the target for the Partnership's first set of goals: concept models of family sized cars achieving up to 80 miles to a gallon of gas.

And google "PNGV 80 mpg GM Ford Chrysler" to find many dozens of other links.

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HARM on May 22, 2008 - 8:20pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Thanks!

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Long Time Gone on May 22, 2008 - 9:00pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

There was an outstanding series written about the rise and fall of the PNGV (SuperCar) by Sam Roe and the Chigaco Tribune. It is a quite long and detailed piece which explores in depth the project from start to sad end. Warning, if you don't already have dim view of The Big Three Automakers and US Gov't., you might adopt one after reading what went down on this farce.

It is a quite interesting read. The Chicago Prius Group has it archived in .pdf form on the bottom of the page at

http://www.chicagopriusgroup.com/links/resources.htm

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FiniteQuantity on May 23, 2008 - 1:37am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

When you start off with "get 80 miles per gallon from a family sized car" isn't it kind of obvious that they don't expect to achieve anything? No wonder it was killed. Little superlight 2 seat 3 cylinder hybrid cars don't get close to 80 miles per gallon.

But it does sound plausible that they would start with that premise since "family sized car" is the one car that Detroit can sell versus Japanese competition. Or maybe that should be that Detroit sells them, Japan doesn't.

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brianf on May 23, 2008 - 9:54am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

If the US increased mileage efficiency to to 80 MPG we would probably use about a 2/3 less oil. (These are rough numbers) If China and India increased their car ownership from 1 or 2 percent to just thirty percent we'd still be in the same boat--as that would increase the car fleet by roughly 650 million. The 2/3 gain would get burned by China and India. Add in oil production declines. And what is going to happen faster? Oil depletion, China/India car growth, or American adoption of 80 MPH cars?

Electrification is the only long term way of getting around.

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enemy of state on May 23, 2008 - 3:06pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Certainly any oil conservation we do will be "used up" by the developing world. That is NO reason not to do it anyway. The big damage that is being done to our economy via the imbalance of payments is hurting us severely. But you are correct that electrification looks to be the obvious route to take.

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Odysseus on May 23, 2008 - 12:20pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

The VW Polo with latest diesel BlueTech engine gets 72mpg. It is for sale now in Europe. Look for it coming to the USA soon... More info here:

http://www.egmcartech.com/2007/02/01/report-volkswagen-polo-coming-to-un...

Now imagine if you couple this engine with a hybrid regenerative system and over 100mpg seems very achievable. If fuel prices double I bet you could jam together VW and Toyota components to get it to market much faster.

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