US passes new fuel consumption standards
20 Dec, 2007
44 Comments 
Update: Manufacturers respond
Top U.S. manufacturers have responded to today’s new Corprate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rules with their plans to reach the new 2020 target.
General Motors plans for more gasoline-electric hybrids and an electric cars. The company today stated it will launch a new hybrid model every three months for the next two years (U.S. market).
Ford Motor Co. will introduce more turbochargers and direct fuel injection on smaller engines as well as making half of its production capable of running on alternative fuels by 2012.
The world’s number one manufacturer, Toyota, is said tobe considering lighter vehicles and more hybrid variants.
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A day after the European Commission announced its tough new CO2 regulations, the United States Government has announced that all cars and trucks must meet a 35 miles per (US) gallon fuel economy standard by 2020.
The 35mpg standard equates to about 14.86km per litre of fuel, or as we say in Australia, a fuel rating of about 6.73l/100km.
President Bush signed the 800-page energy bill in a ceremony this morning having lost political control of Congress to the Democrats - who have championed the bill.
The improvement requirements are massive, with an average of 40 per cent reduction required to meet the new standards.
GM product development chief Bob Lutz (pictured) has been against the new standards, arguing his company will struggle.
“I think anything in high volumes that falls well outside of 35mpg is out of the question,” he said.
However when asked why GM had not raised more concerns with the U.S. government, he said, “Well, sometimes when faced with a choice between being drawn and quartered and being beheaded, you can make a case for drawing and quartering.”
The bill is similar to the European measure, whereby manufacturers can average out their fuel economy across their range, so small cars can offset larger cars.
You can read more on the American Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards here.
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December 20th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
We are inexorably heading to the pointy end of the extinction of the internal combustion engine. Enjoy it while it lasts for a few more years!!
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December 20th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Geezz! 6.73l/100km! Are they kidding?
My rice burning Mirage barely does 10L/100km and alot more than that under 3/4 - Full acceleration.
I think the Toyota prius does sub-5L/100km in factory conditions. How the hell are they going to get any car bigger than a jelly bean to do these figures?
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December 20th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Figures will be ‘factory conditions’ Nate, not real-world figures.
It could be achievable, just think its almost 2008 now, so they have 12 years, think about technology 12 years ago compared to today.
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December 20th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
That being said Alborz, car companies are going to have to exaggerate and lie to achieve 6.7, even factory conditions.
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December 20th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
There are a growing number of diesel cars that can achieve these figures on the road today. I agree with Alborz regarding technology and I think laws like these will help to accelerate the research.
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December 20th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
There is probably a clause in the Bill that anything over 2 Tonne or has a ladder chassis is exempt….
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December 20th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
It is a good thing in terms of accelerating research, but will it mean a sacrifice with vehicles that can’t meet these demands, like performance cars. Will it mean these vehicles will be inevitably discontinued?
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December 20th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
No myke, they will be balanced out against smaller cars,
e.g. VW will sell lots of small cars to make up for its R series.
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December 20th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
They’re having trouble getting those big Expeditions, Suburbans, etc. to achieve half that consumption!
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December 20th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
The Americans did it to themselves through their car-buying behaviour, now they have to get themselves out of it. Good luck to them.
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December 20th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
What proportion of small against large is being talked about?70%/30% split?
5 or 6 litre performance cars for the masses is a bit doubtful under these rules & the price of production per unit might get out of reach if the production run is small.
Fred said the Suburbans etc cant acheive the figures.
They never will.It is a scandal these things are bought for doing the groceries & picking up the kids.
Lifestyle aspirations & population growth are the issues.
That arguement about peak oil surfaces again.
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December 20th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
Will this put a premium on used big cars once these sorts of laws are passed around the world preventing the manufacture of new big block V8’s?
David, regarding peak oil — I thought this was an interesting piece.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/giles/giles18.html
I don’t necessarily agree with it, but I found the following paragraph compelling:
“I am inclined to agree with the proven reserves concept being meaningless. The statistics of proven oil reserves are largely from government agencies, petroleum industry concerns, and cranks like [the]oildrum[.com], peakoil[.com], and hubbert[peak.com]. It is my opinion that history has demonstrated they are wrong, that proven reserves go up over time, and currency-adjusted prices go down. However, the sad commentary is that our society is becoming reactionary: dramatic adjustments occur through crisis which lead to poorly planned and executed government programs (Iraq and Katrina come to mind). Oil cartels have little incentive to admit that their product is a low profit margin commodity item whose supply is increasing thus forcing prices down.”
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December 20th, 2007 at 8:28 pm
“That being said Alborz, car companies are going to have to exaggerate and lie to achieve 6.7, even factory conditions.”
Holden have got that down to a fine art. Add 100+ kgs to the commie but some how make it return better fuel ADR without major engine modification is dodgy at best!
“The Americans did it to themselves through their car-buying behaviour, now they have to get themselves out of it. Good luck to them.”
I think the US has a lot of work to do. I only just found out this week that they still use 87 Octane Fuel!!! They call 91 Octane Premium!! These figures are not that hard to achieve in 12 years. By then you’ll be seeing more plugin electric cars.
Its still a shame that we’ll be saying good bye to some of out favorite sports cars due to this kind of legislation. So buy ‘em while you can folks!!!
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December 20th, 2007 at 11:48 pm
About time.
Could gearing and aerodynamics have influenced Commodore’s better result, Lazybones?
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December 20th, 2007 at 11:53 pm
Without actual aerodyamic figures, you would think the VE would be less efficient with the wider face profile. Dunno.
Don’t forget, the Alloytec V6 was introduced in the VZ, same 6 as the VE. I don’t know if the gear ratios were changed for VE but you would think the 100kg lighter VZ would have better milage.
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December 21st, 2007 at 5:19 am
What a col website.
USA introducing fuel targets, its a miracle.
2020 is light years away and 35mpg is still high. Euro diesels are doing 5’s/100 easily with VW aiming at 3’s/100.
Maybe they should get out of their trucks into sensible cars!
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December 21st, 2007 at 7:26 am
Gee, those Yanks are smart! They need to have a close look at efficiencies the Europeans have achieved with their turbo-diesel cars. Yanks, like their cars, are fat, dumb and lazy. No wonder their manufacturers are struggling because consumers do consider fuel economy and quality.
Uncle Sam, welcome to the 21st century.
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December 21st, 2007 at 11:33 am
“Yanks, like their cars, are fat, dumb and lazy. No wonder…”
Stephen I think that is a very broad and inaccurate statement. You talk about how the yanks are obsessed with big engines, big cars ect… How about you have a look around your backyard first?
Holden is using corvette engines in there commodore and other lines, corvette just so happens to be an American company.
We have ridiculous size engines all around us, In the Holden Adventura, Clubman, SS.
The Adventura has a 5.7L V8! and it only manages to produce 220kw!
And big cars as well, Australia has hummer’s ect…, sure we don’t have so many suburbans, F-150 (most sold car in the US), F-250’s but we have the likes of the Mercedes GL, a absolutely ridiculous sized car for the road!
So just be careful before you make such broad, band-wagon statements.
(p.s. I am not an American)
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December 21st, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Nate you’re correct with the notion that people think every yank drives a engined big car.
My overall view is theres no real place nowadays for excessive fuel consumption. Why do folks want to drive inefficient cars mostly in cities where average speeds and maximum speed are really low. Its all status.
London has congestion charging which is likely to rolled out to most cities major in the world. THe result a 20plus% drop in journeys, an increase in exempt vehicles.
Diesels are currently produce the least CO2 per capacity but are not the whole way to go.
Australians are acustomed to large 6 cylinder engines but this is rapidly dropping off with fuel price hikes.
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December 21st, 2007 at 11:26 pm
Not sure about rapidly………..or the fact its has any thing to do with emission levels! I for one am not convinced the Earth Warming thingy has any thing to do with emission levels!
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December 21st, 2007 at 11:28 pm
Fuel prices are not an issue i laugh when people talk about fuel consumption,i drive a v8 but 6 use just as much.Heard that saying expensive cars are expensive to run,maybe these people should buy a nifty 50cc or catch public transport like eveyone in sydney does,unlike adelaide where everyone drives to work stats show.
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December 21st, 2007 at 11:30 pm
Damn……ani-spam word was Toyota!!!!!!
I guess cause there is people making money out of it as well!!! Believe what you want,true car rev heads will continue to drive petrol of some form!Even if we have to make it ourselves!!!
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December 21st, 2007 at 11:39 pm
I don’t like getting into environmental discussions BUT…
You have probably heard this before. Power stations that burn coal for our power makes our car pollution look puny. Cars and fuel are becoming more regulated but how about industry. What star rating do your white goods have? Do you have a beer fride? (2nd fridge). Do you use gas or electricity for heating/cooling when you can modify or build a new house to be green friendly, etc, etc, etc…
All these things have a much bigger impact than cars. I have energy saving bulbs, I try to use a fan and natural ventilation as much as possible before the air-con. I use a pretty efficient halogen heater in winter.
My Falcon gets about 10.5L/100km, on long drives as low as 9.5
The thing is, greenies are quick to attack cars, when industry and power are as bad or much worse.
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December 21st, 2007 at 11:48 pm
You know Watto I read it takes more in emission levels to produce solar panels for a house than they save!!!!
Im still thinking its a money making exercise for the world!
My M3 around town 12.4 open road 10/per 100 klms
Unless China and India come on board why do we as Aussies bother??????
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December 22nd, 2007 at 12:01 am
Yeah why do i bother and why do i bother with this site if you cant post my coments?
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December 22nd, 2007 at 12:10 am
Oh i see thats you.hehe.
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December 22nd, 2007 at 12:13 am
I heard that too about solar panels. I have a friend who isn’t on the power grid. He’s pretty deep in the bush and it’s about $7000 per pole to get electricity to him.
He is now pretty well set up with a micro hyrdo on his creek, big bank of batteries, inverters, etc, for less money and never has to pay a power bill. If you have a year round creek flow it craps on solar and wind.
I’m guessing the figures but 20 million Aussies vs. 2 billion Chinese??? That’s right, why bother. I’ll do what I can but I won’t give up my car.
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December 22nd, 2007 at 12:19 am
BM - i’m a bit of a greeny at heart. I have no big issues with big engines just we need to reduce the amount of usage. Don’t want to get into the global arguement but people would save a fortune buying a small daily driver for the work commute and leave the M3 for the weekend.
Long live the V8. We should fight for our rights to continue to drive them sensibly. Leave a legacy for the kids following and the right to drive a petrol/diesel powered car.
Gone to the Pub.
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December 22nd, 2007 at 12:44 am
Guy dont waste your time talking to the moderator,people on this site have major issues and people have stopped using this site because of certain people they know who they are.people will listen at the pub not here ok.
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December 22nd, 2007 at 12:44 am
Hey honey………your still up too…
Yep why should we bother!!!
UK BOY…….how many emissions has the EARTH CONSUMED to digest that beer???/ what ever your drinking??
It doesn’t just end at fuel and cars……
I only drive the M3 every now and then………but only cause I want to keep the ks down!
Let you know I am a greeny at heart…….only if if it stops dropping old growth forests in Tassie my home State!
2000 year old trees like Huon pine trees is a joke for growth!!!3/4s of Tassie is already World Heritage listed!
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December 22nd, 2007 at 1:18 am
Because you must be getting paid thats why you live here mrs b,one day some guy made a smart ass remark i replied and gave him shit it turned out this was the owner of the site.And im not the first to dish it out to this person, now i havent used this site for many months because of this person well after all it is your site paul.so mail will not be published and all my posts have been deleted tonight. i thought is was a good site to chat not give people a hard time.
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December 22nd, 2007 at 1:23 am
Dear mrs b,i want my mail published not deleted and if im banned i want to know about it.al and paul what do you think?Its your site you guys own this site.
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December 22nd, 2007 at 3:21 am
Oh and i read bret cs comments to paul,like i said if im going to be banned i want to know in advance so i dont waste my time.kind regards The boss.
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December 22nd, 2007 at 11:14 am
Lazybones said:
“I think the US has a lot of work to do. I only just found out this week that they still use 87 Octane Fuel!!! They call 91 Octane Premium!! These figures are not that hard to achieve in 12 years. By then you’ll be seeing more plugin electric cars.”
The petrol is actually the same, they just use AKI (anti knock index) ratings, whereas here we use RON (Research Octane Number). So their 87 octane is the same as our regular unleaded 91 octane, their premium octane (87) is the same as our 95 octane premium etc
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December 22nd, 2007 at 11:41 am
well they just released concearns the other day for all the people that go out and buy plasmas etc because they arent too crash hot for the environment either.
ah but yes every one just sit back and watch the news on your plasma believing if we all drive a small hatch the world will be safe.
also if everyone changed 1 light bulb to a fluro apparently that equates to taking 49,000 cars off the road each year.
ah but yes everyone pick on the auto industry believing we will save the world by all driving small hatches
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December 22nd, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Yeah.AndrewM/Jumbo.hahaha and we should all stop drinking milk and eating Beef too.That would cull the cows and stop them passing wind ………
Its a bit like the China lead argument at the moment,sure we should worry about our kids playing with lead laced toys but what about the rest of the things we use that also would contain lead ?? Think about that the next time you put a toothbrush in your mouth,especially if its RED!!
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December 24th, 2007 at 7:31 am
Obviously a big topic change the light bulbs, buy the A rated fridge and sorry to say it drive less but enjoy the driving you do.
Hey just watched Top Gear thrashing the new M3 versus the new C Class AMG 6.3. and the Audi RS4. Loved it big motors screaming. Clarkson wore the AMG tyres out in 35miles. Ace
Watch out for it on You Tube. M3 ace but AMG the Hooligan.
Not good for the enviroment but good viewing.
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December 24th, 2007 at 9:00 am
“Could gearing and aerodynamics have influenced Commodore’s better result, Lazybones?”
Dunno what the drag coefficients of current & previous models are to comment on that. But just looking at it, I doubt the VE would be lower. I’d agree Gear ratio’s would have a limited effect. IE better fuel during cruise maybe. But overall the golden rule is weight. An extra 120kgs is a significant addition to be carrying around, thats almost 2 adults.
“The petrol is actually the same, they just use AKI (anti knock index) ratings, whereas here we use RON (Research Octane Number)”
Cheers Andrew, that is handy to know. Bizare to think they would use a different system to RON. But thats the US for you. Imp Gallon/US Gallon to name another.
“if everyone changed 1 light bulb to a fluro apparently that equates to taking 49,000 cars off the road each year”
Sounds highly optimistic, keep in mind anything electrical can be sourced from 100 renewables. As it stands we can’t do that with cars.
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December 24th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
lazy bones,
yes and as it stands how much electricty that is filling our grid is curently coming from renewables?
i was trying to put into perspective how we always blame cars for the emissions yet a simple scabby old light bulb each can easily offset a hell of a lot of cars if people really cared.
when it comes to greening the planet i find people are hypocrites.
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December 28th, 2007 at 6:06 am
Andrew m. You partly right. nearly all my light bulbs are low energy. Just wish the figgin kids would switch them off!!
How many cars would be off the road if we drove smaller cc cars instaed of the gas guzzlers. London will be inncreasing the congestion charge for vehicle over 225co2/km. BMW have re-engineerd the X5 3.0 diesel to reduce it below this figure specifically for the UK market. Its being rolled out world wide. Good Stuff.
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December 28th, 2007 at 9:37 am
This is a good movement… 6.7L per 100km will be achievably, in 10 years they have gone from like 13L to 10L per 100km in your avg family 6, they have 12 years to do this… more than likely it will encourage hybrid engines, so its not the death of the internal combustion engine, more the re-invention of it.
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January 2nd, 2008 at 11:41 am
“much electricty that is filling our grid is curently coming from renewables?”
Good one Andy, we should all be thinking about ticking the 100% Renewable box. My problem is complicated. I love cars, I love driving, but I care about the environment.
I think the problem with the car/environment thing is down to the biggest cars manufactures until very recently were US Based. The US has a very different policy to fuel consumption to Europe. According to Discovery Channels “Addicted to oil” doco, the average US Car has worse fuel consumption now than in previous years.
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January 2nd, 2008 at 12:04 pm
yes but the US now has a “Gas Guzzler Tax” on new cars which use more than a specified fuel consumption to try aned discourage people from buying fuel hungry V8’s. And it is apparently working now, but may be a long time before it takes any great effect. The US makes cars cheaply and in volume, therefore cars are pretty much disposable, which could go some way to explain why the quality is so crap. That quality issue wont help cars like the H3, when trying to build a reputation for reliability when it has just never been there with US car makers.
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January 10th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Dear All,
Most of the cars running in Denmark, where i live, are ECO cars. My italian (gasoline powered) Fiat is running at a 6.5 l/100 under varying conditions. At constant highway speeds it runs an easy 5.5 L/100. We do have diesels running at 3.3 in average conditions, but those are superminis. Among the larger cars, most diesels are running a roadtestet average of 5 to 7 L/100. And power and torque isn’t missing. So get in the game!
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