This is a guest post by Ann Mesnikoff of the Sierra Club Green Transportation Campaign.
The Auto Show is in Washington, DC, today and the Sierra Club Green Transportation team is there. First off - we'll be tweeting from the show at twitter.com/SierraClubLive, being sure to post many photos of the cars, too.
The focus of this year's auto shows has been the burgeoning crop of plug-in hybrids (like the Volt) and electric vehicles (like the Leaf) and the smaller cars the industry is proving can be fun, safe and efficient (and yes sexy). After all, the industry finally has new vehicle standards to aim for – 35.5 mpg or 250 grams per mile CO2 in 2016 (that's compared to a new vehicle average of 26.4 mpg or 337 g/mi CO2 in 2008)
Yes, we will visit the Advanced Technology Superhighway. But there are a few facts we will keep in mind as we tour the best and yes, the worst, of the industry's offerings.
Cars and light trucks in the US consume nearly nine million barrels of oil every day, some 142 billion gallons per year, spewing out 20% of US global warming pollution. While new vehicle fuel economy standards are heading up to a to 35.5 mpg, the fleet of 2016 vehicles is more likely to have an on road fuel economy that is perhaps 20% lower - something more like a 27 or 28 mpg (PDF). And, to get to this average, vehicle sales will have to shift significantly toward cars and away from light trucks. The new 2016 standards must be a starting point for consistent improvements if we are going to curb our addiction to oil.
Plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles are coming, but to get where we need to be for the long term, it is the larger cars and trucks that will need to make big strides. We will be looking for the technologies the industry is offering for these vehicles, not just what they have on deck to makes small cars even better.
So while we take a good look at GM's Volt, we will also be looking at the 2010 Tahoe, with its paltry 15 mpg city average. GM sold 91,578 of these in 2008; the Volt is expected to go on sale this year. We hope to see strong evidence at this year’s auto show that the industry is committed to on-going improvements in fuel efficiency for all vehicles. Look for photos of the best and worst of the 2010 DC Auto Show!
The Auto Show is in Washington, DC, today and the Sierra Club Green Transportation team is there. First off - we'll be tweeting from the show at twitter.com/SierraClubLive, being sure to post many photos of the cars, too.
The focus of this year's auto shows has been the burgeoning crop of plug-in hybrids (like the Volt) and electric vehicles (like the Leaf) and the smaller cars the industry is proving can be fun, safe and efficient (and yes sexy). After all, the industry finally has new vehicle standards to aim for – 35.5 mpg or 250 grams per mile CO2 in 2016 (that's compared to a new vehicle average of 26.4 mpg or 337 g/mi CO2 in 2008)
Yes, we will visit the Advanced Technology Superhighway. But there are a few facts we will keep in mind as we tour the best and yes, the worst, of the industry's offerings.
Cars and light trucks in the US consume nearly nine million barrels of oil every day, some 142 billion gallons per year, spewing out 20% of US global warming pollution. While new vehicle fuel economy standards are heading up to a to 35.5 mpg, the fleet of 2016 vehicles is more likely to have an on road fuel economy that is perhaps 20% lower - something more like a 27 or 28 mpg (PDF). And, to get to this average, vehicle sales will have to shift significantly toward cars and away from light trucks. The new 2016 standards must be a starting point for consistent improvements if we are going to curb our addiction to oil.
Plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles are coming, but to get where we need to be for the long term, it is the larger cars and trucks that will need to make big strides. We will be looking for the technologies the industry is offering for these vehicles, not just what they have on deck to makes small cars even better.
So while we take a good look at GM's Volt, we will also be looking at the 2010 Tahoe, with its paltry 15 mpg city average. GM sold 91,578 of these in 2008; the Volt is expected to go on sale this year. We hope to see strong evidence at this year’s auto show that the industry is committed to on-going improvements in fuel efficiency for all vehicles. Look for photos of the best and worst of the 2010 DC Auto Show!
While it's certainly not good that our vehicle fleet is burning so much oil it's important to look where you place the responsibility for this. It's the people who buy vehicles who have the most important say in what gets built. Automakers ultimately build to demand, unless other factors intervene. Forcing fuel economy standards on automakers doesn't help anything if people don't buy the more efficient vehicles in large numbers. To get more efficient trucks it would be better to speak directly with the business owners who buy them the most, you must prove to them that spending more money for fuel efficient trucks is good for their business. Also, Sierra Club members, if they really believe what they say, should appeal to their friends and neighbors who buy trucks and SUVs and ask them to change their buying habits. It's not the socially popular thing to do but it will help your cause much more than blaming the automakers.
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