[JSpira]

Interesting... cars will cost at least several thousand dollars more but the government assures us that new car buyers will save even more thanks to the greater fuel economy. It just might be possible... but will fewer people purchase cars thanks to the higher up-front investment?

BMW seemingly is showing great prescience with its electric vehicle plans and subbrand and the changing standards might help diesel as well.

New Fuel Economy Standards to Require 54.5 mpg by 2025

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Environmental Protection Agency announced new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standards for 2017-2025 which, if approved, will double current fuel efficiency requirements to 54.5 mpg by 2025. The new standards could cost the automotive industry as much as $157 billion but may portend good news for diesels and other fuel efficient vehicles.
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Above report was just filed by my colleague Paul Riegler, incidentally.

[krnboy817]

cars will be more expensive because fuel prices will probably be double of what it is now... so the cost of 54mpg is probably going to be same as the cost of 25-30mpg today.

i dont think anyone should trust governments math... the savings are probably comparing to todays standards IF the fuel price(s) stay the same in 2025. i mean thats 13-14 yrs from now... just look back what the fuel prices were 13-14yrs ago, are you really saving money today compared to 1997?

my 98 trans am got 23mpg hwy at $1.08 a gallon while my 2008 328i getting 28mpg hwy at $3.25 a gallon... so does 5mpg offset the $1-2 dollar (factoring inflation) difference im paying per gallon?

i think the saving they mention are marketing gimmick because they know that people wont buy it at higher prices, also know they cant build cars at todays prices due to shortage in materials and various kinds of natural resources.

[Pangloss]

It's a good thing. The tragedy of the commons scenario here (legitimizing government intervention) is that the manufacturers have consistently increased horsepower (instead of fuel economy) in response to misplaced/undereducated customer demand.

Put another way, hobbyists and motorheads should be able to get 300 horsepower (and will continue to be able to). Soccer moms should be happy with 125. The fact that it doesn't work out that way (soccer moms get stuck with 125-200hp more than they need or want) is a problem that the industry doesn't seem to be able to rectify based solely on free market forces. (shrug)

Pinheads will turn it into a conservative-liberal thing, and one can legitimately debate the exact numbers and dates, but really this is what government is for. Nothing more to it than that.

[flyinb501]

More expensive cars, and more expensive gas and the EPA is to blame for both. Hopefully their power will get reeled back soon...

[krnboy817]

Cadillac L62 "V8-6-4" in 1981 already introduced the cylinder deactivation technology. we probably didnt have to see it in such mass production like today because we didnt have government agencies demanding it.

and im getting the feeling the standards for gas guzzler tax is going to be raised too along with the status quo is being pushed to be raised.

[1GhostRider]

Buy a Fiat 500c now then. The diesel 1.3L get over 60mpg and there was a guy on the news that got 71mpg on the hwy. Have to buy out of country, not coming to the states. They are scared everyone will buy and drop the hybrid junk. All they want is for you to take one, and spend lots of money, thinking its better.