Let’s wise up: this is gross.

 

With so many cars on the road today, and so much a foreign dependency on gas used on America soil, one has to wonder: WHAT IS UP WITH THIS?? So, unless we get back to ye ole days of Flintstone automobiles, (which we are currently too fat to do) it is about time we do something about this issue awkwardly lurking around on American soil. (Hat’s off to those who are cruising in hybrid, like myself J)

The lurking issue is the continuous air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions caused by:

Gas, Gas and more Gas.

 

Since elected to office, President Obama has made fuel efficiency an issue to tackle. He has set a standard for American auto manufacturers to reach between the years of 2017- 2025. Naturally, like any political mumbo-jumbo, American auto-manufactures have begged for an extension to this timeline. However, there is progress being made. I see it everyday, on the Mass Pike, as I drift by, in-between, in front of and behind endless hybrid cars. Most of which, have around 39 miles per gallon and range anywhere from a 8-12 gallon engine.  Yes, this, my friends is in- your- face progress from certainly 10, and definitely 5 years ago. Remember the Hummer faze, at 9 mpg?!

 

In an article published by NPR, the auto industry is panicking over the cost that all of the parts will cost in order to produce strictly fuel-efficient cars for Americans. However, long-term financial relief will weigh out this spike in production costs:

 

“Although the new requirements would add an estimated $434 per vehicle in the 2012 model year and $926 per vehicle by 2016, drivers could save as much as $3,000 over the life of a vehicle through better gas mileage, according to a government statement. The new standards also will conserve about 1.8 billion barrels of oil and cut carbon dioxide emissions by nearly a billion tons over the life of the regulated models”

 

 

Environmental groups have been pressing the issue of fuel efficiency since the Bush administration, and states like the ever-green California have enforced strict air-pollution rules for vehicles on their highways. However, 2012 is a start date for the auto-industry to wise up, bite the bullet, spend some extra cash, and provide Americans with fuel-efficient cars.

 

The proof is in the pudding! (In this case, the pudding being cough, the air we breathe). With Obama continuing to press the issues he has since 2008, there has been a great improvement within the auto-industry. Here is a February 2012 list of the 23 most fuel-efficient cars on the road:

 

		Fuel Economy
Rank	Make & model	CR Overall MPG	City MPG	Highway MPG	150 mile trip MPG
1	Nissan Leaf SL	1061	861	1181	1241
2	Chevrolet Volt	612	452	761	702
3	Toyota Prius Four	44	32	55	53
4	Toyota Prius v Three	41	33	47	46
5	Lexus CT 200h Premium	40	31	47	46
6	Honda Civic Hybrid	40	28	50	50
7	Smart ForTwo Passion	39	30	44	46
8	Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE	38	32	43	42
9	Honda Insight EX	38	29	45	46
10	Volkswagen Golf TDI (MT)	38	27	49	44
11	Volkswagen Passat TDI SE	37	26	51	27
12	Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI (MT)	36	25	49	37
13	Honda CR-Z EX (MT)	35	26	45	41
14	Volkswagen Jetta TDI	34	25	45	41
15	Fiat 500 Pop (MT)	34	25	42	41
16	Ford Fusion Hybrid	34	25	40	41
17	Scion xD (MT)	34	25	40	42
18	Mazda2 Sport (MT)	33	25	40	40
19	Fiat 500 Sport (MT)	33	24	42	41
20	Mini Cooper (base, MT)	33	24	41	41
21	Hyundai Sonata Hybrid	33	24	40	39
22	Honda Fit Sport (MT)	33	24	37	41
23	Ford Fiesta SE sedan	33	22	45	41

 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125458204

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/new-cars/buying-advice/most-fuelefficient-cars/overview/index.htm

http://zautos.com/could-52-6-mpg-be-a-reality-by-2017/