Even Bush Government Agency Advised Staff to Buy Asian Hybrid Vehicles
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles 
on 09.24.07
Talk about embarrassing. When high-level officials in an administration that's provided more support and political cover than any in recent history advise their staff to purchase vehicles from your foreign rivals, you know you're in trouble. That was the situation facing Detroit's big three automakers - GM, Ford and Chrysler - when it was revealed last week that the brass at the Department of Health and Human Services had told their staff members they'd be better off buying a car from Toyota, Honda or Hyundai if they wished to cut back on their fuel costs.
As part of a newsletter promoting "energy efficiency behind the wheel," officials at the department trumpeted the merits of hybrid vehicles and even included a list of the top 12 "green" cars as compiled by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) - all of which were either Japanese or South Korean cars (your usual suspects: the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic hybrid and Honda Fit, amongst others). Following angry complaints from the American carmakers - who argued that it displayed "a simplistic approach that showed a prejudice against American vehicles" - the department retracted the newsletter, apologizing for having "offended anyone".
As pathetic as it was for the department to buckle under the pressure exerted by the automakers, it was still instructive seeing that even members of the Bush administration embrace more fuel efficient vehicles - even when they come from foreign companies. As for the Detroit Three... we've got three words for you: better CAFE standards.
Via ::Financial Times: US backs down over car advice (newspaper, subs. required)
See also: ::Israeli Diplomats Go Hybrid In The US, ::SustainLane: A US Government Green Clearinghouse
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The CAFE standards are part of the reason for some many SUV's because they killed off a lot of good cars with the only replacements being SUV's. So I'm not big on the CAFE standards.
The CAFE standards are part of the reason for some many SUV's because they killed off a lot of good cars with the only replacements being SUV's. So I'm not big on the CAFE standards.
CAFE standards were too successful, fostering a depression in oil prices that lasted 20 years. That's what brought on the SUVs.
The fact that it's a two tier system is the problem, not the fact that there are fuel economy standards for manufacturers. Don't blame the concept for legislative shenanigans which undermine its intent.
Eugene and the Anon poster both have it right. The 2 tier one for cars, one for trucks CAFE killed off large wagons and gave rise to the SUV. Since SUV's counted as trucks they became family hauller of choice for many. Cheap gas caused the sheople (not mine but I like it) to put MPG way down on their list of factors for deciding on a car.
Be interesting to see what happens to the vehicle mix as new CAFE rules come into effect.
The Big 3 are too stuck on poor fuel economy. Ever noticed how much stock in our auto manufacturers the oil industry has? It appears they have way too much. As for me, I'm not interested in buying another vehicle from them until something with substantially better fuel economy comes out.
...the American carmakers - who argued that (the newsletter) displayed "a simplistic approach that showed a prejudice against American vehicles"
That's what it is. Is there a problem with having a prejudice? If we suggest using American gas hogs, isn't that a prejudice against efficient vehicles?
Angry complaints from the automakers? They made the inefficient cars in the first place. Should we blindly applaud whatever crap falls off the end of their assembly line because they are American (barely)?
Why did they feel the need to apologize for that? They should have been saying, "Don't like it? Produce more fuel-efficient cars!!!"
"The Big 3 are too stuck on poor fuel economy. Ever noticed how much stock in our auto manufacturers the oil industry has? It appears they have way too much. As for me, I'm not interested in buying another vehicle from them until something with substantially better fuel economy comes out."
Perception and reality are often very different.
Chevrolet:
Aveo 27/37 mpg
Cobalt 25/34 mpg
HHR 23/30 mpg
Malibu 24/34 mpg
Ford:
'08 Taurus 18/28 mpg
'08 Fusion 23/31 mpg
Dodge:
'08 Avenger 21/30 mpg
Caliber 28/32 mpg
Not even an all inclusive list, but proof ALL of the Big 3 offer better CHOICES! It's the consumers who choose otherwise.
Ford also owns Mazda FYI, but I didn't bother to include those.
JC, the next car I buy will get over 40mpg. Until a domestic automaker can do that, I'm not interested.
And the fact that the Aveo only gets 37mpg shows that GM isn't interested in really providing high fuel economy. There's no reason the Aveo shouldn't be getting 40-45 mpg.
Perception and reality are often very different.
Yes. Yes, they are. And to prove this, I will put the actual MPG of the following vehicles in parentheses, following the MPG you claim they have.
Aveo 27/37 mpg (26-27)
Cobalt 25/34 mpg (26)
HHR 23/30 mpg (23-25)
Malibu 24/34 mpg (20-25)
Taurus 18/28 mpg (19-22)
Fusion 23/31 mpg (20-23)
Avenger 21/30 mpg (18-24)
Caliber 28/32 mpg (22-26)
As you can see, not one of them even comes close to clipping 30 mpg combined, and the average of all those eight vehicles is a sad, sad 23.25 mpg. And those are the best this country's automakers have to offer? The best of which isn't even made here (in Korea instead)?
By contrast, the ten most fuel efficient vehicles in the US are all foreign makes, nine of them Japanese, and their average fuel economy is 34.2 mpg -- 47% higher than the average of those American boxes you mentioned.
So much for perception and reality.
Increase from 37mpg to 45mpg in percent 121%
Getting sombody in a 30mpg Ford/Chevy/Dodge versus that manufacturers pickup/SUV used as a single passenger vehicle: 300%
See my point about the consumers choice? They can make a BETTER choice with readily available options.
Anonymous,
Any car driven badly gets worse mpg, I stated the EPA estimates. There are plenty of people who complain about getting really low mpg in a Prius, how do they manage that? The same way you come up with low mileage for domestic automobiles: drive around with under inflated tires, go 10-15mph over the speed limit, and jack rabbit starts and slam on the brakes to stop at red lights among other things.
My problem with American cars has been more a quality issue than a milage issue. They claim to have raised the quality to mach the forien cars. I have yet to see it. I travel alot and drive rentals. The american cars feel cheep and easy to break. I do like the Chevy HHR though. I got excelent milage in it. Every time you need to fix a car it becomes less efficient.
Arguing over the efficiency of internal-combustion-engine vehicles, hybrid or not, when most of them on the highway hold just one person, is fiddling while Rome burns.