New US fuel efficiency proposals cut incentives for smaller vehicles says NGO
Thu 25 August 2005
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New proposals for revisions to the US Corporate Average Fuel Economy (Cafe) will weaken incentives to improve fuel efficiency standards for SUVs and light trucks according to a leading US-based environment group.
The Sierra Club says the new Cafe proposals would abandon the concept of a fleet wide fuel economy standard and create a new system that would divide the current light truck fleet into six classes, with each class being determined by its size. A size-based system encourages automakers to build larger vehicles in order to qualify for weaker fuel economy standards.
In addition, the Sierra Club says, the proposal extends existing loopholes in the Cafe law, such as exempting Hummers and other heavy vehicles over 8,500 pounds GVWR from meeting fuel economy standards.
"The targets are so far below where we can go given current technology" said Brendan Bell, a Washington-based representative of the Sierra Club.
Related Links
Financial Times news link
Sierra Club press release
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