Kyle’s Corner (FYI) 52.5 Mpg by 2025: Instead of Figures and Figuring What About …

Figures and figuring are good for planning and achieving goals. However, much figuring or even too much figuring without worthwhile action can be like no figuring or trying at all! Since the oil embargo of the 70’s, we have been figuring hard about fuel efficient vehicles. And almost 40 years later where are we at? Well, there has been a lot of figuring (remember, figuring is good and the more the better, right!).

President Obama will reportedly propose a fleet average (average mpg for an automaker’s cars and non truck vehicles) of 35.5 mpg by 2016 and 52.5 mpg by 2025. It is reported that not every automaker’s fleet must meet the mpg numbers as CAFÉ (what is CAFE anyway?) will use something called an S curve (sounds like something that happens in school when the whole class bombs a test). This S curve is not very clear to me but it does seem to have some figuring to it!

Of note is that along with the increased fuel efficiency, the CO2 vehicle emissions would also be reduced by a specified percentage per year.

CAR reports that a 47 mpg standard would add $3,700 to the cost of a new vehicle. A 51 mpg standard would add $5,270 to the cost and a highly green 62 mpg mark would add a whopping $9,700 to the sticker. Now these are some more figures and what might they be saying? Well, the figures are quite costly ranging from $3,700 to $9,700 per vehicles. Remember, you can buy quite a bit of gasoline for $3,700-$9,700. Maybe getting the extra mpg could be achieved in a different way?

What about installing high voltage charging stations across the U.S. that will allow all-electric car batteries to recharge 80 percent in 30 minutes (this is possible today and such will definitely be improved tomorrow!). See my recent article: Mitsubishi’s i starts ‘the electric’

price war? Let’s hope so!

Furthermore, what about offering tax incentives to employers that install charging outlets and let employees charge up at work? Yes, this would cost some money (more figures again but such would likely be less than the $3,700-$9,700 per vehicle). Just throwing around some figures and whether they are right or not you can decide!

Tomorrow I am figuring on cutting the grass. Oh forget it, I ‘m going to skip it. But this does not get the grass cut, right! I’ll get it figured out tomorrow.

How about less figuring and some real action to obtain better fuel economy (and less pollution) – something that should have been figured out a long time ago!

Kyle Busch is the author of “Drive the Best for the Price: How to Buy a Used Automobile, Sport-Utility Vehicle, or Minivan and Save Money.” He welcomes your comments or car questions at his auto web site: www.cartown1.com. Follow Kyle on Facebook and Twitter.


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