This important step does not seem to have received much news coverage. There must be something else going on in Washington.
This will spur technology development, and help wean us off Saudi Arabian oil and should also help the US car industry compete more strongly with foreign manufacturers.WASHINGTON (July 29, 2011) –The Obama administration today unveiled an agreement with major automakers and the state of California on a framework to strengthen the nation’s fuel efficiency and auto pollution standards for new cars and light trucks. This proposal, which will apply to vehicles sold in model years 2017 to 2025, will set a global warming pollution standard of 163 grams per mile by 2025, the equivalent of 54.5 miles per gallon (mpg) if met exclusively with fuel efficiency improvements, or a Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard of 48-49 mpg assuming full use of air conditioning improvements. That would translate to a 2030 window sticker of about 36 mpg, up from 21 mpg today.
Exactly how the CAFÉ standard translates to a much lower sticker MPG I don’t know - presumably some formula combining highway and city mileage. I suppose I can google it, but maybe someone on here knows.