1. The weight of the car isn't a big factor in mileage for highway driving. Wind resistance is far more important — it increases with the square of the speed. An aerodynamic vehicle, with fat passengers, will get better mileage than a boxy wind pusher, with anorexic passengers.
2. The total vehicle weight is an important factor for stop-and-go city driving. However, that's where hybrids or EVs are supposed to shine. The extra energy it takes to accelerate a fat body, is recouped through regenerative braking.
3. Proper tire inflation (according to the gross vehicle weight), would reduce most of the increased rolling resistance that's due to the extra passenger weight. You'd think Democrats would know this, after Obama made such a big deal about it, during the election. Regardless, rolling resistance is a tiny fraction of the total energy use. Wind resistance is most important at highway speeds; and overcoming inertia (accelerating & decelerating) is most important in city driving.
what if I weighed 300 pounds, but only kept 10 gallons or less in fuel in my Suburban..
would it work out ok then?
Then again, what do I care, I don’t weight 300 pounds, and I don’t have the money to put more than 10 gallons in the truck anyways ;)
Of course it is bogus. But bogus does not let the Nannystate micromanage our lives.
It’s none of the fedgovs business but there ARE way too many obese peeps in the USA.
My weekly trip to WalMart in a pretty nice part of town shows this every time.
Another reason why Obamacare will be overwhelmed - - weight related health problems. With socialized medicine, these folks have no economic incentive to be healthy.