Obama Gives Detroit Its Best Day In Decades
This is a story of
supply and demand. On the demand side
of the equation, President Obama has put in
place landmark new vehicle mileage
standard for cars and
light trucks. By 2016, cars must achieve 39 miles
per gallon in city + highway driving. Light trucks
must average 30 mpg. How aggressive is this
standard? Less than a handful of cars and no
trucks can meet it today. Yet everyone from
Detroit to retired military brass and
Republican leadership support it.
Why? Read on to see why President Obama has given
Detroit’s its best chance in
decades.
REALLY fixing Detroit
Taxpayers have
pumped over $20B into Detroit with more to com -
yet it is a band aid, not a fix. To be sure,
Detroit and its unions have been their own worst
enemies but government regulation is a close
second. Deregulation and synchronization with
global standards are the key to the survival of
the US auto industry. Here’s what needs to
change to ensure economic viability AND
environmental sustainability of this
industry. Read
More...
We Need Global Auto Standards
The Renault Espace and Fiat 500 are just two of the cars that could be built in the US IF government regulators are serious about helping our auto industry turn around.
An insightful recent New York Times article points out that the US auto industry could transition to more efficient vehicles quickly IF the US government transitioned to more efficient regulations.
GM and Ford both produce outstanding and efficient vehicles in Europe. These vehicles could be produced quickly in the United States if (already similar) safety and emissions standards were “harmonized” (at least temporarily) to allow European-spec. vehicles to operate here.
This would allow European-spec. vehicles to be built and sold in the U.S. - AND cut the cost of government regulation. Let’s see if our government figures what’s good for the goose (US auto industry ) is good for the gander (government regulatory organizations.)
Bolder, less “Americanized” versions of non-US cars have recently been selling briskly: Audi’s range is the fastest growing in the luxury sector and Nissan and VW have also seen success with more stylish & less Americanized versions of their products.Read More...
Federal Loans For Tesla Motors?
The New York Times announced today that Tesla Motors, the pioneering Silicon Valley electric car company, wants a $400 million (1.6%) slice of the $25B federal government loan program for building efficient cars. We think the government has no choice...Read More...
The Virtual Car...
You must own a car. NOT... Car Share programs in 50 cities in the U.S. and over 100 worldwide is growing 50% per year.
Cool cars (MINI, BMW, Prius) and more convenient & cheaper for urbanites that don’t commute daily by car these programs have taken over 50,000 cars off our streets. Do the math - a typical car (Chevy Impala, Honda CR-V) costs over $9,000 per year. Do the math...Read More...
Of gas tax holidays...
This is wrong for several reasons - here’s why, and here’s how to save on gas anyway...Read More...
Electric Vehicles- A Century Late...
The year is 1907. The city is London where a fleet
of 20 electric powered
buses glides silently
between the horse-drawn past and the noisy, dirty
and unreliable future. Shortly thereafter, they
disappeared despite being popular with passengers,
more reliable and cost effective than motor buses.
Why? Read on...
Get Smart (the car that is...)
The US is about to get the ultimate urban assault vehicle - not a new Hummer, the two seat Mercedes-built SMART car. SMART gets about 40 mpg, is made of most mostly recyclable materials and is the world's lowest CO2 emitting car. Read More...
Hybrid Cars: out with the old, in with the cool...
Nissan brings out a superbe Altima Hybrid while Honda tosses its inefficient Accord "performance hybrid" which got no better mileage than its conventional (and much cheaper) conventional Accord. Honda still offers the sweet Civic Hybrid.Read More...
Rental Cars Use Half...
Faster than a Ferrari and 135mpg? Green gets sexy...
Meet Tesla Motors and their Ferrari-beating electric powered Roadster that gets the equivalent of 135 mpg based on average electric power generation efficiency. Tesla Motors first production run sold out in months so you will need to get in the queue now for a 2008 delivery... Read More...
Ford is getting some things right...
Bill Ford is starting to turn the tide at the firm that bears his name. He championed the charge to build & sell efficient Ford & Mercury hybrid SUVs in the US and plans to introduce hybrid sedans in the US by 2008. Now Ford plans to invest $1.5 billion in a wide range of efficient vehicles getting up to 70 mpg.
Ford has decided to do the R&D England - let's hope Ford brings the models to the US and trains US engineers so we can start exporting this advanced technology.