UCAN

The Auto Industry has started a PR campaign to OPPOSE improved fuel economy AND reduced emissions! I suggest WE use their tools to present our case.
For an easy way to contact your elected Congressional officials see http://www.drivecongress.com/ "Take Action" or call 866 / 200-6262 (provided by the Detroit)
Or you may also use http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/

Here is what I sent:
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Emissions, Fuel Economy, Autos, and Choice

There is only ONE way to address this problem .... and .... THAT IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER CO2 EMISSIONS AND coincidentally, BETTER FUEL ECONOMY ! ! Not just 5 or 10% ! ! ! The consumer needs a REAL CHOICE !

If WE had 50 mpg vehicles that would be the "equivalent" of paying about $1.60 (to $2.00) per gallon when compared on a fuel cost per mile (You will have to figure out your own potential annual savings). This leads to several questions:
1) What is the mpg and CO2 emissions of vehicles in America?
2) If 50 mpg and less than 140 g/km CO2 does not exist in America, does it exist anywhere?
3) Who makes them, if they are available?
4) How can WE get them, if they are available?
As an exercise, a list was generated of all US vehicles rated to achieve 30 mpg(US) or greater combined average city/highway for 2007 according to
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byMPG.htm
Then, the resulting 34 vehicles' mpg combined average values were established using
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calculatorSelectYear.jsp
to determine their fuel economy ratings under the 2008 methods. The average mpg(US) combined city/highway for these 34 vehicles is 28.7 mpg using the 2008 method.
The 15 Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, and Toyota vehicles yield an average of 32.1 mpg(US) combined city/highway using the 2008 methods.
The remaining 19 "best mpg domestic" vehicles yield an average of 25.9 mpg(US) combined city/highway using the 2008 methods.
NOT ONE of these 19 "best mpg domestic vehicles" has a combined average over 30 mpg according to the 2008 criteria !

The CO2 emission the 19 "best mpg domestic vehicles" range from 240 g/km to significantly higher. Many domestic machines are in the 300 to 500 g/km range.
On the other hand, the auto companies with significant sales in the USA (or their Euro partners) have over 48 vehicles in Europe that achieve over 44 mpg(US) combined average. A majority are diesels meeting Euro Step IV emission (and soon Step V) and all have CO2 emissions below ** 140 g/km **. By comparison, the "domestics" typically range between 240 and 500 g/km. Here is a list of these high mpg vehicles in Europe http://www.40mpg.org/pdfs/021407_fuel_efficient_vehicle_gap.xls

The EU data can be verified at http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/search
In other words, the worst of these 48+ vehicles the Det3 and their associates are manufacturing and selling in Europe get 69.8% better gas mileage than the 25.9 mpg average of the 19 "best mpg domestic vehicles". In fact, five (5) of the EU FORDs have over 100% higher combined mpg. For fun, take a look at the Ford New Mondeo (May 2007) or the Ford Tourneo van (available as a 8/9 passenger vehicles)!

Now we have the answers to questions 1, 2, and 3. What about question 4) How can WE get them?
There are apparently only 3 ways.
A - Detroit3 could immediately and formally commits to deliver 4-6 passenger 4 door 44 mpg(US) combined average (or better) vehicles with CO2 less than 140 g/km before 2010. Failing that ...

B - If a large group of buyers could agree on one or two specific vehicle (that were reasonably easy to certify); pool their funds to pay for a "TYPE IMPORT CERTIFICATION" ... then the vehicles could be imported by anyone. Caution: Look at the time, effort, and money it has taken to get this for the SMART.
C - IF the Detroit3 can't/won't immediately commit to production volumes of 44 mpg(US) combined average vehicles by 2010 ... THEN Congress should IMMEDIATELY WAIVE ALL IMPORT RESTRICTIONS AND TARIFFS on vehicles that do get 44 mpg or better, CO2 less than 140 g/km, meet Euro Step IV (or Step V) emissions and Safety standards; Effective IMMEDIATELY for a period of 36 months (OR 300,000 units of each model that satisfy the criteria).
Note: This waiver should have little no impact on the domestic auto industry for 2 reasons: 1) Detroit has long argued that there is NO DEMAND; 2) the domestic auto industry has not and apparently is not planning to address the market segment needing 4-6 passenger 4 door affordable 44mpg(US) combined city/highway or greater with less than 150 g/km CO2.

IF YOU THINK the WAIVER idea is reasonable after OUR 30 year wait and $Billions of TAXPAYER funds expended on behalf of the domestic auto industry for the development and implementation of low emissions and higher mpg vehicles ... please CONTACT YOUR ELECTED Representatives in DC and tell them you want "44 mpg by 2010 - WAIVE IMPORT RESTRICTIONS if that is the only way!"

PLEASE .... PASS IT ON!!

Remember ... "44 mpg by 2010"

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Short Form

IF the Detroit3 can't/won't immediately commit to production volumes of 44 mpg(US) combined average vehicles by 2010 ...
THEN Congress should IMMEDIATELY WAIVE ALL IMPORT RESTRICTIONS AND TARIFFS on vehicles that do get 44 mpg or better, CO2 less than 140 g/km, and meet Euro Step IV (or Step V) emissions and Safety standards; Effective IMMEDIATELY for a period of 36 months (OR 300,000 units of each model that satisfy the criteria).
Note: This waiver should have little no impact on the domestic auto industry for 2 reasons: 1) Detroit has long argued that there is NO DEMAND; 2) the domestic auto industry has not and apparently is not planning to address the market segment needing 4-6 passenger 4 door affordable 44mpg(US) combined city/highway or greater with less than 150 g/km CO2.

PLEASE .... PASS IT ON!!

Remember ... "44 mpg by 2010"
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Feel free to "cut & paste".

For an easy way to contact your elected Congressional officials see http://www.drivecongress.com/ "Take Action" or call 866 / 200-6262 (provided by the Detroit)

Note: Capitol Advantage stated that thet will deliver all comments. You may also use http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/