Carmakers Back Strict New Rules for Gas Mileage

[tw]

From the NY Times of 28 July 2011:

Carmakers Back Strict New Rules for Gas Mileage
While the American carmakers, as well as their Asian rivals, once argued against even minimal increases in government fuel rules, they are acquiescing without protest to an increase to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, from the current 27 miles per gallon.

The new standards are seen by the Obama administration as critical to reducing oil consumption and cutting consumer expenses at the pump, and the White House made it clear to Detroit executives that the changes were coming and they needed to cooperate.

Bankruptcy has replace business school graduates (people who hate innovation) with car guys. New management apparently recognizes that profits only come from innovation. Not by blaming the unions, tax structure, foreign competition, engineers, government, and hybrids. Not by playing money games as taught in business schools (and still believed by too many managers in American auto companies). Amazing what happens once people who can drive cars take over. Not an idle comment. Top American auto executives who could not drive was common.

[glatt]

this is almost good enough news to take my attention away from the idiots in Congress.

[infinite monkey]

Hmm. That's about what a Honda CRX HP got back in the 90s. My Si got about 35-40. Now it's considered AMAZING mileage to get 35.

Yeah, it can be done. It's been done. But somebody must have needed another island/mansion/country or whatever the fuck those billionaires could possibly do with their money.

[Undertoad]

Mathematically, all they need to do is add one electric car to the fleet.

Hey boss we have five models and they get MPGs of 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30

So our fleet average is 22+24+26+28+30 / 5 = 26 mpg, and we are illegal, what to do?

Just add an electric model, which by definition gets infinity miles per gallon.

Now the fleet has MPGs of 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 and infinity.

The average fleet MPG is now 22+24+26+28+30+infinity / 6 = infinity mpg.

[Spexxvet]

I hope not, because that would mean 2+3+4+5+6+infinity/6 = infinity. And that's what's called meeting the letter of the law, but fucking the spirit of the law.

[Undertoad]

It turns out they thought of that, and have some sort of formula worked out that includes other engines. But they're not telling us what the formula is:

Over all, the new standards will require a 54.5 miles per gallon corporate average for 2025. That standard will be made more easily achievable by credits that automakers can earn by producing battery-powered vehicles, hybrids and alternative-fuel models. Details of how the credits will work have not yet been made public.

The devil's in those Details because the mix of different kinds of engines is going to get crazy. How do you account for things like the Volt, which runs on battery but switches to gas if the battery runs out? What if the Volt was Flex fuel? Shit's gonna get weird.

Every innovative car maker should have three different maps of their future worked out. One plan for cheap petroleum, one plan for expensive petroleum, and one plan for no petroleum.

[Griff]

I miss having a good pickup. I inherited my Dad's POS GMC and it hemorrhages money even as it gets little use due to horrifying mileage. I want a small 4wd with a modern 4 cyl or hybrid or electric. I had an old Nissan Frontier 4x which Flint refuses to replace. Is it too much to ask that car companies start making a small minimalist truck again? No power anything no AC no nothing...

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Griff

No power anything no AC no nothing...

Our car has cranks to roll up the windows. It was unusual when we got it that way in the mid 90s (on purpose.) Now it's a delightful novelty for all the kids we give rides to in car pools. Not one of them has ever seen one before. They love them. Can you buy a new motor vehicle in the USA with window cranks instead of buttons? I don't think it's even an option any more.

[GunMaster357]

Everything that's not directly related to passenger safety should be an option.

Do we really need a GPS system? A good old paper map is enough for me.
DVD system?
Heating rear mirrors?
Electric seats with memory?

Everything that needs electricity thus increasing gas consumption should be an option.

[infinite monkey]

Direction dyslexics such as me don't do well with paper maps. I don't have a GPS, but it would have to be a soothing one: Oh no, monkey, you missed your turn. Now don't worry, it doesn't make you a bad person. You just made a mistake. I'm here to help you. You can drive anywhere you want if you set your mind to it. Now, slowly (stop crying honey) pull into the left lane...

[Urbane Guerrilla]

IM, I think that is a great quote in your sigline:

"There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you."

Marianne Williamson

It nutshells what I live by. That it peeves certain regrettable sorts just frosts the cake.

[wolf]

If the rules get strict enough, does that mean that I can just hand over my 16 mpg gas guzzler and they'll give me one of these nice, shiny new hybrids as an even trade?

[tw]

Originally Posted by GunMaster357

Everything that needs electricity thus increasing gas consumption should be an option.

Then you do not understand what the problem is.

Your car may have a 150 or 200 horsepower engine. Press the accelerator maybe half way to maintain 55 MPH. How many horsepower does it take to maintain 55? A number any layman should be able to speculate. I'll make it easy. What is one half of 150 or 200?

So how many horsepower are needed to maintain 55 MPH. Use high school physics as I did even 40+ years ago. I worst cased my numbers on a 1968 Oldsmobile. 8 Horsepower. Why then does a car generate so many more horsepower? Because gasoline at $7 or $10 per gallon (double and triple the current price) is so cheap. Wasting energy is better than innovating. But most only believe what we are told to believe (just like Saddam's WMDs). Many Americans no longer learn physics. And prefer to not ask damning questions (another lesson from Saddam’s WMDs).

Those power devices are not the problem. Energy is so cheap that we must burn up our grandkid’s gasoline. Just another example of the waste advocated by those who also said, "Reagan proved that deficits don't matter." Who also said, "Drill, baby drill." Who made cars so crappy as to need six or eight cylinders. Ran to government for protection because they would not innovate for 30 years. And then blamed the unions, tax structure, foreign competition, government, and everyone else for crappy cars devoid of innovation.

They cannot even make a car that only generates 8 horsepower when it only needs 8 horsepower? They could. But as soon as George Jr took office, they were told they no longer had to innovate. They could even trash their 1999 hybrids. Business school graduates hate innovation. Business school graduates love civilians who do not first learn facts. Do not believe in the free market – buy the best.

Why should they innovate? Did you know the 8 Hp number? Exactly. The greatest enemies of America fear you might obtain basic knowledge. Demand innovation. One of the world's greatest producers of gasoline - America - must also waste soldiers in other countries to burn twice that oil. So that you can generate 50+ Hp when something like 4 are required most of the time.

[Bullitt]

Originally Posted by glatt

Our car has cranks to roll up the windows. It was unusual when we got it that way in the mid 90s (on purpose.) Now it's a delightful novelty for all the kids we give rides to in car pools. Not one of them has ever seen one before. They love them. Can you buy a new motor vehicle in the USA with window cranks instead of buttons? I don't think it's even an option any more.

My 2003 Civic has window cranks. 2004 was the last year of that style before the radical redesign, and no more window cranks. Mine is the newest car I've seen with window cranks lol

[infinite monkey]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

IM, I think that is a great quote in your sigline:

It nutshells what I live by. That it peeves certain regrettable sorts just frosts the cake.

Well thanks, UG.

It nutshells what I try to live by when I'm not feeling inadequate and small, like most of the time.