In the spring of 2009, President Barack Obama introduced a national program that would raise vehicle mileage by around 30 percent and would cut down on carbon emissions. He aimed to reduce the need for oil and increase popularity in hybrid cars. During his proposal, Obama stated, “The status quo is no longer acceptable. We have done little to increase fuel efficiency of America’s cars and trucks for decades”. He later argued that the program would save almost 2 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of new cars. Though he neglected to state how long this “lifetime” would last, he did say that the average driver could expect to save $2,800 throughout this lifetime. According to an article published by the Wall Street journal, a senior official for Obama’s administration also added that their goal is to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by close to 100 million tons.
Many predict that in the next several years, Americans should expect hybrids, plug-in hybrids and perhaps even electric vehicles to begin dominating car sales. It’s amazing when one remembers how the major American car dealerships flew to Washington from Detroit to protest the program in 2009. However since that time General Motors and Chrysler were part of an $80 billion federal bailout, which perhaps made them realize they should jump on board with the government and Obama’s programs.
Most of today’s cars are much smaller than earlier models. Thanks to major advances in battery technology and electric hybrids, cars are much more fuel efficient, and MPG rates keep going up! According to a consumer reports poll, six of the 10 best-selling cars in America are small or midsize, and one of the top three most popular pickup trucks has a high-mileage six-cylinder engine.
These major advances are positive in so many ways. They’re helping reduce our carbon footprint, and helping decrease greenhouse gas emissions. They’re also helping us save money at the gas station. And they’re showing that together our nation can make a difference. Car by car, person by person, we can work towards a better future.
Below is an interesting video of Barack Obama discussing the “turn-around” of companies like GM.
President Obama discussing General Motors
The New York Times
MSNBC
The Wall Street Journal
Consumer Reports