Going green has become a big part of many Americans daily lives. Many are worried about the emissions being released from vehicles every day and how it is affecting our environment. Fuel economy standards which were first established in 1975, haven’t changed much since the mid-1980s until the first Obama Administration. Under a rule passed in 2010, carmakers were already aiming to achieve an average of 34.1 mpg across the board by 2016. The government has since raised the bar even higher, to an average of 54. 5 mpg by 2025. The new standards will likely require auto companies to develop more hybrids, plug-ins and natural gas vehicles as alternatives to our everyday cars.
The White House has said the regulations will save drivers money at the pump in addition to reducing emissions. For the most part, automakers will have to accelerate their efforts to improve mileage by reducing the weight of vehicles, meaning they need to use more aerodynamic designs and decrease the engine size without sacrificing power. According to the Department of Energy, reducing a vehicle’s weight by 10 percent can improve fuel economy by 6 to 8 percent. So why not switch to a lighter material? Well although normally car components made of aluminum are anywhere between 10 and 40 percent lighter than conventional steel. Aluminum is about 35 percent more expensive than steel, and concerns that it might not be as durable are in everyones mind. Volkswagen AG Krupitzer announced “If you make a component stronger, it can carry the same load as it did before, but you don’t need as much steel to do it. You can make parts thinner, but they can absorb the same about of energy and hold the same load”. The auto industry still has a lot of playing around to do to figure out what the best long term solution is but they have made strides in the right direction. I’ll be interested to see what options are to come in the future and how it may benefit our environment.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/29/business/energy-environment/obama-unveils-tighter-fuel-efficiency-standards
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/to-boost-gas-mileage-automakers-explore-lighter-cars/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/joannmuller/2012/08/30/10-ways-automakers-are-helping-you-spend-less-on-gasoline/#4ddd409f31e9
I also consulted the Scientific American article and I found the aluminum proposal to be a great idea. Aluminum can relieve hundreds of pounds off of a vehicle’s total weight, translating to better fuel economy. The auto manufacturers have complained that it costs more money and that they might have to pass that cost over to the consumers. Hopefully that additional cost can balance out with the thousands of dollars in fuel savings.