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Should US car manufacturers be required to increase the fuel economy of the vehicles they produce?
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Results so far:
| Yes | 80% | 549 votes | Total: 684 votes | |
| No | 20% | 135 votes |
Yes
by Leslie Schwab
Created on: November 12, 2007 Last Updated: June 12, 2009
U.S. automobile manufacturers should be required to increase the fuel economy of their products for three reasons:
The first reason is the most obvious one; to reduce carbon emissions that contribute to air pollution. Increased carbon emissions are also responsible for global warming, which is melting the polar ice caps. Many scientists predict this will cause ocean levels to rise, resulting in the flooding of many coastal areas within the next two or three decades.
The second reason is to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. The U.S. only produces approximately three percent of the world's oil, but consumes nearly twenty-five percent of oil produced. This heavy reliance on foreign oil is costing American consumers hundreds of billions of dollars each year. Much of this money is going to countries whose governments aren't friendly to the United States. These resources are limited, and are now being consumed at much higher rates by developing nations as The People's Republic of China and India. This will ultimately lead to skyroceting oil and gasoline prices in the near future.
The third reason is to stimulate our domestic automotive industry by making them more competitive than Asian and German automakers. The most fuel-efficient cars are hybrids as the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight. Others are fuel-efficient, diesel-powered ones produced by Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz. Companies as Fiat are producing very small cars with small, but economical engines. American car makers don't produce any vehicles that can compete with these models. This situation, however, may be changing in the next two to three years.
Chrysler has just emerged from bankruptcy and has been partially taken over by Fiat of Italy; a company known for producing small, economical cars. General Motors is just beginning its restructuring, as it has also declared bankruptcy. Both firms have the opportunity to focus more attention on producing more economical, and fuel-efficient vehicles. Neither company is burdened by the high labor costs which contributed to their inability to be competitive with foreign manufacturers.
Many Americans may still prefer larger vehicles, but the current state of the economy no longer enables most of us to purchase the large SUVs and trucks that had been driven off car dealers' lots. We need to change our priorities when it comes to purchasing a car. Car manufacturers need to produce vehicles that are more fuel-efficient. The government needs to intervene for the sake of the automobile industry, and to improve the environment in which we all live.
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No
by Margaret Shauers
Created on: May 27, 2008
We all want better fuel economy. Forcing the issue, however, means government mandates and, if we don't know it by now from other federally "required" programs, government intervention means increased costs and unreal paperwork for businesses already struggling to compete in a global market.
Since US manufacturers pay workers better (and should continue to do so) they already have one handicap to overcome. This isn't the topic of this discussion, but drastically cutting CEO and top management salaries to reasonable levels would do a whole lot to help bridge that wage gap. But we don't need to add government bureaucracy to the mix and make expenses higher.
Can U.S. car manufacturers increase the fuel economy of the vehicles they produce? Of course they can since other countries are producing high efficiency vehicles on a regular basis. And if U.S. manufacturers want Americans to buy American, they will have to produce more fuel efficient vehicles or they will continue to lose sales.
Part of the problem is "us" -the consumer. Even with gasoline prices skyrocketing, Americans are fighting hard not to change their driving habits. Mostly, we still drive when we want to drive. Our cities and states need to subsidize more public transportation, for sure, especially outside metropolitan areas. But we honestly do need to check out carpooling...and walking...a lot more closely on an individual basis.
More importantly, Americans drive what they very seldom need to drive. At this point in time it looks like American consumers will fight hard before giving up the "soccer-mom" vans or the "big truck" thing even when people don't need any truck, let alone an extended-cab or huge-tire "cool" truck. The truly energy conscious truck owner keeps a small truck if he/she only hauls occasionally, but does need one. Businesses, of course, need trucks to do whatever their job load requires, and businesses are usually all too willing to buy exactly what they need and only what they need. So far as I know there is no reason to own a huge truck with gigantic tires that serves no function other than soothing the owner's ego. I've seen some of these with beds so clean that nothing has ever been allowed in the bed, let alone allowed to be "trucked." Yet some of these people complain the most about energy costs. Hey, guys, even those big tires add to your gas consumption-you want them, you pay at the pump.
Sportsmen will not trade down to anything but a gas-guzzling ATV, although the sportsmen I know are at least realistic and expect their gas costs to be high. A lot of it comes down to that-you do pay for what you cannot live without.
On a general "household" level, two friends recently purchased new vehicles. One did get a "soccer-mom" van, but a foreign make and gas consumption, plus price and a longer guarantee was part of the decision. Her main reasoning, however, was that there's more "leg-room" for the kids. The van saves maybe a gallon or two over the U.S. version. Worth it? Well, it wouldn't be for me, but again...it's all in what you decide to pay for, knowing that gasoline is going up, not down. My other friend actually downsized due to gas prices. She also bought foreign because the mileage rates were better...and the vehicle price cheaper.
I'm facing a new car purchase within the next year. I have more than $3000 banked in a GM credit card account against a new GM purchase. Will I use it? Probably, but to be honest, I really can't say for sure. I hate the idea of "buying down" on models to get the same gas consumption I could get from a foreign make that is similar. Especially since I might be able to recoup that $3000 in a year on gas consumption alone.
In the end, the government doesn't need to control U.S. car manufacturers. U.S. car manufacturers need to control themselves if they wish to stay in business.
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