Posted on 08/10/2015 5:35:04 AM PDT by thackney
The director of the EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality today shot down the notion that the agency has already decided to implement a 54.5 mpg corporate fleet average for 2025.
The average is officially proposed, but the decision to raise, lower or leave alone the 54.5 corporate fleet fuel economy average for 2025 won’t be made until after a review in 2017 and 2018. The decision is due in April 2018.
“There is a perception out here that the decision is already made,” Chris Grundler said at the CAR Management Briefing Seminars. “That is wrong. The EPA administrator makes the final decision, and he will work for the next president.”
He said that in the review the EPA will examine everything from the price of fuel to consumer acceptance of new technologies.
The process of gathering the data for the mid-term evaluation is already underway. Grundler said the EPA is studying consumer acceptance of new fuel-saving technologies, such as stop-start systems, direct fuel injection, downsized turbo engines and transmissions with more than six speeds.
Grundler said the EPA will issue a report on these technologies in June 2016. Later that year the EPA will seek public comment. And then in April 2018, EPA administrator will decide if the 2025 standards will stick.
Three choices
The EPA administrator, Grundler said, will be faced with three choices: Determine the standards are appropriate and make no changes; make the standard more stringent; or relax them.
Pointing to several vehicles already on the road, Grundler said automakers are ahead of schedule in meeting the 2025 fuel economy standards. The aluminum-bodied 2015 Ford F-150, he said, already complies with 2024 standards, while the Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado comply with 2021 standards.
Grundler also busted some myths about the 2025 standards. He said:
• If consumers migrate to larger, less-efficient pickups and SUVs, automakers’ individual fuel economy fleet standards will automatically adjust. “The standards adjust with sales mix. We are not forcing everyone into small cars. Americans can still chose vehicles that meet most of their needs.”
• Low fuel prices have not affected consumers’ desire to buy fuel-efficient vehicles.
• Consumers have accepted and like new fuel economy technologies, with the exceptions of stop-start systems and continuously variable transmissions.
Despite the growing number of diesel and electrified vehicles, the EPA, Grundler said, believes it will be highly efficient gasoline engines that will remain dominant through the 2025 period.
This guy is full of it.
Why not shoot for 99 mpg? /s
Liar. If you insist on 54.5 mpg then the only way to achieve it is by forcing people into Paper maché klown karz.
"If you like your SUV or pickup truck, you can keep your SUV or pickup truck."
What a steaming pantload that is. Why would anyone trust these people? Just like with health insurance, if the government forces the insurance companies to stop selling "non compliant" products, you have zero choice but to buy what government tells you to buy. The car makers will have to stop making products people want and force everybody into products the government wants you to buy. Freedom be damned.
"Obamacar"
The EPA is full of mentally ill LIB asshats who are unrestrained. Close the EPA!
“We are not forcing everyone into small cars. Americans can still chose vehicles that meet most of their needs.”
Where can I buy a station wagon then?
All of the EPA employees should be in Colorado manning a bucket brigade to stop their release of mine water to the river.
They will have to pry away my F-150 from my cold, dead hands.
I agree. This is like the minimum wage. If $15/hour is good, $100/hour is better.
Let's just go for 1000 MPG. Think of the fuel cost savings and reduced CO2!!!!!!
Dodge Magnum
http://www.edmunds.com/dodge/magnum/
My 400cc motorscooter only gets about 48mpg...!!
Only thing one needs to know about the EPA is they are lieing sons of B!@#&$!!!
The aluminum-bodied 2015 Ford F-150, he said, already complies with 2024 standards
Thus speaketh our federal overlords.
54.5 mpg ? at the same time, pushing E-85 ?
bwahahahaha -ha !
My 2012 GMC Sierra W/T (4.3 Vortec V6) complies with MY standards.
I have a 2014. No aluminum for me. I never buy the first of a model year.
I think what folks miss here is that if the company does not meet the 54.5 MPG target, then the company pays a fine to the government for each vehicle sold.
It’s a tax.
Like the F’d up government needs more of our money...
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