Until the exemptions for “light trucks” go away this won’t change. The current CAFE standards reward automakers for making even larger, less efficient and more dangerous “passenger” vehicles every year.
Are you losing a race if you sit at home and ignore it?
Were they trying to win?
“American Automakers Refuse to Participate in Race to Make Accessible, Fuel-Efficient Vehicles”
Fixed that title for you, Verge.
I thought they already lost during the OPEC oil crisis and then lobbied congress to put import restrictions on foreign cars to save themselves.
They did, decades ago. That is no longer an issue.
Now we have current efficiency standards that focus on cars. However trucks have much lower requirements because businesses might need additional capabilities. No individual would ever buy a truck as a personal vehicle , right? So you have these criteria meant to give a break to businesses, but ever larger vehicles mean that personal vehicles now also qualify. They can be made more cheaply, with more profit.
Somehow, they didn’t consider the criteria would be abused for more profitable personal vehicles
- Pickup truck? Clearly a contractor so let’s give you a break
- All wheel drive and high clearance? Clearly a rare specialty off-road vehicle that needs a break
- Seats 7+, even if they’re only toddlers? Clearly a transportation service, so needs a break in efficiency to carry more passengers
- Tow hitch? Clearly in need of extra torque and heavy duty frame for whatever business need you’re towing
It this Onion News? No one can use “american automakers” and “fuel-efficency” in the same phrase!
They don’t have to worry, because the Buy American provisions in recent legislation (passed under both Trump and Biden) protects them from competition by more fuel efficient foreign competitors.
True, but in time they will be able to sell only in the US as their cars will not be allowed anywhere else. So if they will want to compete outside US, they will need two lines of the same products. Then they will realize that it will be less expensive to keep only the one that can sell in more places.
If they have not failed in the meantime.
