Surprising to hear a former oil executive call for government regulation of automobile efficiency. Can you imagine Lee Raymond saying 'nobody needs a gas guzzler' and arguing for more government regulation?

The former chairman of Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell has called on the European Union to ban gas-guzzling cars, saying they are unnecessary, the BBC reported Monday. "Nobody needs a car that does 10-15 mpg (miles per gallon, 19-28 litres per 100 kilometres)," Mark Moody-Stuart was quoted as saying.

"We need very tough regulation saying that you can't drive or build something less than a certain standard. You would be allowed to drive an Aston Martin -- but only if it did 50-60 mpg."

Cynical thought: given that Shell (former employer) and other western based oil majors are looking a bit short on the reserves lately, arguing for more efficient vehicles being designed voluntarily will help keep government regulations at bay and sustain the business models of both oil and transportation industries.

Story and image credit Via::Yahoo News

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