The automotive industry is going to regret backing Obama once new CAFE requirements go into effect.
Automakers could quickly face tough new rules limiting global warming pollution from new models in more than a dozen states after President-elect Barack Obama’s nominee to run the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday she would tackle the debate soon.
California and 17 other states feel they should be able to regulate vehicle emmisions, which is basically setting CAFE standards (miles per gallon). To let states set CAFE standards would mean that automakers would have to meet 18 different standards or not sell their vehicles in states that they can not meet the standards.
California wants an ungodly standard that only electric vehicles would meet (even hybrids like the Prius wouldn't meet their standards), thus forcing people to buy what California thinks people should be driving.
And with headlines like this:
EPA may get tougher with Detroit 3
You would think that only the american automakers are trying to block this, but all automakers both domestic and foreign are fighting this measure.
Posted by Quality Weenie at January 20, 2009 12:05 PM | TrackBack