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The International Energy Agency, United Nations Environment Programme, International Transport Forum and FIA Foundation unveiled the '50 by 50' Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI) at the Geneva Motor Show on Wednesday. The four international agencies released a road map for cutting vehicle emissions 50 percent by 2050, when its research shows the worldwide car fleet will have tripled -- with 80 percent of growth stemming from developing countries.
The initiative's 2009 road map calls for the development of regional alliances in Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia; launching four national pilot programs to test the development of nationwide fuel economy policies; creating a fuel economy database and information clearinghouse; and linking the initiative to the G8 and U.N. processes.
Meanwhile, the U.S. EPA begins hearings today on its decision to deny California the authority to regulate tailpipe emissions. The agency's discretion in reviewing the waiver request is very narrow, said Bill Becker, executive director of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies.
"If California meets three very specific criteria, under section 209b under the Clean Air Act, which we believe the state has demonstrated, the EPA must approve the state's waiver," Becker said during a conference call with reporters yesterday. "Once the waiver is granted ... any state with an approved plan may adopt and enforce California's standards provided the standards are identical to California's and sufficient lead time is provided."
Arguments against the waiver include: regulating fuel economy is the same as regulating greenhouse gas emissions; the technologies aren't available; model offerings will be reduced; the costs are too high for an ailing industry; and California's standards (36.8 miles per gallon by 2016) would produce little environmental benefit over the proposed fuel efficiency standards (35 mpg by 2020.)
Jim Kliesch, a senior engineer with the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), said utilizing better engines and technologies, improved air conditioning systems, lightweight materials and superior aerodynamics can boost fuel economy if deployed across a fleet.
"A recent UCS analysis concluded that outfitting a minivan with a suite of technologies to meet the 2016 Clean Air requirements would cost approximately $700," Kliesch said. "Assuming a gasoline price of $2.50 a gallon, this technology would pay for itself in less than three years and would save the consumer nearly $1,800 over the life of the vehicle."
Demand for the larger gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs that had been the bread and butter of the industry for years plunged in 2008 as fuel prices skyrocketed, said Adam Lee, president of Lee Auto Malls in Maine. On the other side of the spectrum, consumers added their names to waiting lists for compact, fuel efficient vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius.
"I think we need this waiver to protect our air and water, which is really at the heart of it," Lee said. "But we also need this waiver to force the automakers to produce cars that consumers want."
Look at the picture
Yes, the one accompanying this article. Changing the fuel formula alone, while accepting the status quo of one person and 3 empty seats in every car with an expanding population of drivers in all countries, will not solve the greenhouse gas problem. Our roads are already too full of cars, period. Reformulated fuel MIGHT keep us at the current total output level, which unfortunately, is leading us off the cliff towards global catastrophe. Fuel formulation does not solve the problem of too many cars on the road, all inefficiently idling in commute hour traffic, which, by the way, creates 5-7 times more GhGs and carbon dioxide than higher speed driving, according to CalTrans and the Air Resources Board. Our shared sacrifice for the planet must be a realization that our wasteful behavior of solo driving needs to change. This is hard to do in the West, where few cities are as vertical as in the East. Silicon Valley is a sprawl of 2-story buildings and parking lots. The way to significantly reduce GhGs is to use any transportation strategy that eliminates solo driving; ridesharing, compressed workweeks, telecommuting, mass transit, biking, and walking. All of these strategies are cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable than relying on technology to reformulate car fuel and car engines.
People buy gas guzzlers
People buy gas guzzlers because of their comfort, status and perceived safety.
We could do a better job educating people that buying a Cadillac Escalade is not cool.
I probably won't buy a new vehicle again (only used and fuel efficient) until the industry can come up with an electric plug-in with decent range, top speed and under $15,000.
Preferably an electric car that is so maintainable that I can just swap out parts as they wear out and never have to buy a new car again (okay, how about 20 years and 250,000 miles).
I'm sure Detroit is not listening, because my dream car doesn't make them the huge markups of an SUV.
However Detroit would still be profitable today if they just took some leadership for a change. I watch their advertising - hyping huge trucks and 275 horsepower cars and I just laugh at their stupidity (or maybe it's people's stupidity, I don't know).