Will Rising Oil Prices Also Raise Fuel Efficiency Rates?
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 01. 8.08
When oil reached $100 USD per barrel the other week, motorists across Australia shuddered. And they were already being gouged with summer holiday pricing. Predictions were made that $1.50 AUD per litre was imminent. [my shonky maths indicate that’s about 4.95 cents (USD) a US gallon.]
The Australian Conservation Foundation hopes the shock of such pricing will jolt a change in support both for public transport and for mandatory fuel standards. Otherwise they see suburban families remaining hostage to increasing oil prices.
“With petrol nudging A$1.50 a litre, a fuel efficiency standard of 6.8L/100km would save the average Australian driver around A$1,000 on petrol each year,” said the ACF’s Sustainable Australia program manager Alison Cleary. She goes on to report that “China’s binding standards mean cars sold in China will most likely be around 17 per cent more efficient in 2010 than the Australian average, unless we improve our standards.”
By the ACF’s figures, the average Aussie driver could save $1,000 a year, if they drove a car that managed a fuel efficiency standard of 6.8L/100km [34.6 miles/gallon (US)] but they observe that only one Australian manufactured car model had an efficiency of less than 10L/100km [23.5 miles/gallon(US)] in 2006, so they don’t hold out much hope for voluntary agreements with the car industry as likely to bear much fruit.
For comparison the best performing, fuel efficient vehicles on Australian roads, at the moment, according to the government’s own Green Vehicle Guide is the Toyota Prius at 4.4litres/100 km, Honda Civic Hybrid (4.6) and the Citroen C4 (D) with 4.5. The most fuel efficient, volume selling car in Australia seems to be Toyota’s Yaris, which weighs in at 6 litres /100 km. ::Australian Conservation Foundation, via EcoMedia.
Of course, this assumes people have the extra cash to run out and buy a new car.
And it would seem Australians are buying new cars at an ever increasing rate. In 2007 new vehicle sales were over 1 million for the first time ever. One new vehicle on the road for every 20 Australians, of which well over 4 million aren't even of driving age.
And although sales of large four wheel drives are slowing, sales of V8 and other six cylinder cars are still alarmingly strong.
Though Australia is a special case due to it is a very big country with wide distances - then at least in Europe and Japan - small cars have been popular for decades due to gas taxes.
If Australia and USA introduced higher taxes then that would also conservation.
Smaller cars are also cheaper to buy - and with India's TATA new 2.500 USD car - then maybe cash strapped Americans will sign up for one, too.
It is a little bit luxurious that old ladies drive in a bus-sized vehicle just to go and get groceries. A Toyota Yaris has the same safety as those minivans and SUV's - so safety is a matter of design - and thereby smaller cars should be encouraged. Most of us don't like taxes but they do correct people's behaivor (sometimes) for the better.
The problems are pretty complex.
The outer suburbs of our biggest cities, Melbourne and Sydney, are totally car dependent and smaller cities generally have similarly inadequate PT, they are really only good for getting kids to and from school.
Our country roads are long and rough, if your granny took a Toyota Yaris for a drive in the country here it'd probably rattle her false teeth out. You really need a >4m long vehicle if you drive those roads regularly.
Fuel prices are causing old V6s, V8s and 4WDs to de-value really fast and older thirsty vehicles are ending up in the outer suburbs where they are covering longer commutes.
I sell push bikes for a living , so I'm happy to see fuel prices going up!