Jewcano

iTrader: (4)

Problem is the people in power there think that everyone has as much money as they do, therefore they think anyone can afford those fancy efficient cars.

RX_330

They're ruining the country, not just the auto industry. I hate politics.

Lexmex

Well, you can always vote them out of power when their time comes up. I keep telling my Mexican colleagues that all the time.

Vlad_Stein

The problem with regulations is that you can never estimate accurately all the unintended consequences. For example, SUVs replaced big station wagons, reducing fuel economy for that market segment (families, not off-roaders). As the regulations are tightened, there are loopholes that are being exploited by the manufacturers (for example GVW being above 6000lbs). Lefties think that the companies are evil because of all the loopholes they are able to exploit. So, they pass other things to try to compensate. Two (or more) legislations do not make a right.
I think that the market economy is the only mechanism that self-balances and that politicians, lefties or righties should interfere as little as possible - let the market sort itself out.

Whatever the technology that allows high mpg, it better be affordable, otherwise, we will see unintended consequences which will probably prove worse than if they just left it alone.

With that being said, in 10years time, significant changes are possible (reducing the vehicle weight and size, capacitor technology, electric cars, etc.). But those changes must be market-driven, for the most part, not California-driven. Also, if the aim is energy efficiency, we must approach this from a broader perspective that includes ALL energy consumption, not just cars - a car driver in CA will have to buy a family car that must get 44mpg while a biker can have a single-seat Harley that gets 20- mpg. That's not right.

Historically, CAFE regs have been behind the consumer in their regulations. One could just say, in all fairness, that CA is shooting for the same (or very similar) figure as the EU.

92 SC400

That sucks - us Cali people aren't even going to have freedom of choice to purchase a vehicle. Well, we'll have like two or three options, and we'll get jacked like no other when it comes to prices, services, and everything else...

I hope this does not pass - otherwise I might have to pass on living in Cali if this is the direction we're headed. Ok, maybe that is a bit drastic, but you get the idea... haha

RX_330

Lately the candidates in both national and local elections are horrible. I would imagine the candidates in CA elections may be even worse and from what I've been told by relatives over there. Lately it's choosing the lesser of the evils.

My relatives hate the new laws restricting autos now too. 44MPG is almost impossible considering the kind of traffic of they get especially during rush hour. Smooth roads over there would help with gas mileage too instead of having to slow down, speed up, swerve left, swerve right for potholes and large cracks.

Lexmex

Yes, even in Mexico choosing a candidate is often the same thing. I see the frustration on my relative's faces down here after they came out of voting in the 2006 election we had down here and I didn't even bother asking who they voted for.

In Mexico, they don't even care about MPG or KM/L as they would say down here. A big reason why is if they ever imposed that, the gas sold locally wouldn't allow this to be an achievable reality. Moreover, when they check to see if a car can be emissions worthy (new vehicles sold in Mexico) they go to a lab in Mexico City (probably the worst place to test a car since we have a lower oxygen content, about 23% less than sea level) and you can add all the pollution to that. You get used to it, but the car won't and often times I have known new cars that were supposed to come into the market only to fail because of this emissions test, when they would pass perfectly fine in California, the last version of the Mazda RX8 was just such a vehicle.

SLegacy99

Why not 44mpg by 2030 instead of 2020? Seems more achievable that way.

mmarshall

44MPG? No problem.

SLegacy99

The least efficient of the single seater Harleys get 35mpg city and 50+ hwy mpg.

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

^^^Why not get 70 MPG?!?

Koma

iTrader: (3)

The 44MPG and CAFE regulations are for average fuel economy per manufacturer and they go by EPA figures not real life MPG figures.

But yea 44MPG by 2020? The fuel efficiency of gasoline isn't going to get much better.

STIG

I think it's a good thing. I am in favor of this.

G Star

iTrader: (2)

did you even read the thread? they said this 44mpg standard wouldn't even be enforced until 2020.

some of you guys need to just chill out, this is very natural, we can't be driving 12-28mpg cars forever, with better technology comes the responsibility to take care of the waste that we generate and the resources that we use. I think a 44mpg standars is very reasonable to achieve in the next 12 years.

TwiBlueG35

44mpg is ludicrous. Why don't they suggest 100mpg, something unachievable? They should regulate the production number of SUVs and pickup trucks. They should make a law only business people could buy pickup trucks, not any family. If your household has less than two people, you MUST buy car only, not any kind of truck. If you buy a hybrid or electric vehicle, the state sales tax is eliminated. If you buy a car with engine bigger than 4.0L, you are obliged to pay a very heavy tax, like 30% of the car's msrp, and the tax increases proportional to the increase of the engine. If the engine is 7.0L or above you need to pay 60% of the car's msrp as gas tax(nothing for 2.0L and under, 10% for 2.0L-3.0L, 20% for 3.0L-4.0L, 30% for 4.0L-5.0L, 40% for 5.0L-6.0L, 50% for 6.0L-7.0L, 60% for 7.0L and above). Car insurance rate should also be proportional to the engine size and car weight. The smaller the engine, the cheaper the insurance fee. Government should do many things to discourage consumers to buy thirsty vehicles, not just asking more and more from the automakers and their engineers until there is no way to reach what those politicians ask for. Of course, automakers could do something to change the way they sell cars, for example, not every car needs sunroof and heated seats, these things are weight which obliterate the fuel economy. And we could eat less to keep our own weight down so there is less burden for the vehicles.