Washington Auto Show videos: Car makers on senators, state regulators and CAFE
Filed under: MPG, Chrysler, Ford, GM, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Legislation and Policy, Washington DC Auto Show
The big automakers showed a little teeth at this year's Washington Auto Show. The video above begins with Mark LaNeve of GM telling a story about a U.S. senator. The senator suggested to Mark that GM build at least one car that got over 30 MPG. Mark said GM builds 15 cars that gets over 30 MPG and he was shocked a U.S. Senator did not know this. I'm not shocked.
The video above also includes Jim Press of Chrysler talking about state regulation. Jim says it's not just California but 13 other states that want different standards. Why should Chrysler have to make 14 different vehicles, Jim wondered. I think they all want the same standard, so you could just build one car that complied with that standard and sell it in the entire United States.
I recorded the Ford and government press conference as well. As you can see in the video below the fold, something went wrong. Sorry readers, I'm not that familiar with Mini DV video cameras. Ford's Sue Cischke did argue with a reporter on whether or not their were actually CAFE "fines" anymore. Sue said the system has changed and their really are not fines. The reporter did not believe her.
Anyway, your questions could have responses as great as these. The show has two days left. So, post your questions in comments and I will ask them when I head back to the show.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-25-2008 @ 11:00PM
steven said...
And based on how the new CAFE limits are going to be "applied", I'll bet those 15 cars are already in the 35MPG catagory. Does ANYONE know which column is used for CAFE on the EPA spreadsheet that was posted here last year???
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1-26-2008 @ 2:33AM
Chris M said...
Too bad that unnamed Senator didn't ask "Why don't you make any vehicles that get over 38 miles per gallon?" That would have stumped the GM rep!
Their "15 models over 30 mpg" looks less impressive when you realize that most just barely exceed 30 mpg, and several of those are the same vehicle under different name badges. None of GMs current models exceed 38 mpg, not even their hybrids.
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1-26-2008 @ 7:59AM
SolarDave said...
Please ask the Toyota folks why they don't consider restarting production of the RAV4-EV. I rented one in Southern California in the late 90s. The range was about 70-80 miles, it got to highway speeds, and it's a small SUV to boot! Isn't that supposedly what the market desires? If the technology for that is proven (and about 10 years old), why not consider it now? Thanks.
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1-26-2008 @ 8:36AM
NORA said...
[ spam deleted ]
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1-26-2008 @ 12:02PM
mike said...
Highway mileage at 55 mph? When most drivers are doing 70-80 mph? Let's talk city mileage which has gotten worse for years.
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1-27-2008 @ 10:10AM
BlackbirdHighway said...
Mark LaNeve should take a look at the advertisements that GM aired prior to the senators comment. Most likely, they heavily emphasized big trucks, and Hummers. So it's really by GM's choice that the senator, and most other folks as well, didn't know about GM's higher mileage cars. I nocived that GM now has ads that highlight those cars, although I still see a lot of ads for Hummers and Silverados, esp. during the football games.
(Truck commercials: What's most important about choosing a truck? That the guy in the commercial has a really deep voice. That's how you know which one is the most manly.)
Ask the automakers why they stick to the myth that bigger vehicles are always safer, when there are many studies that show that's not true. Isn't their love of big vehicles all about the big profits that come with them?
Some people want them or need them, so there will always be big vehicles, but auto commercials for many years now have emphasized bigger vehicles, increasing their popularity. The "bigger is safer" line is very persuasive for many people who would otherwise be happy in a smaller vehicle.
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