[AMC-List] re EPA/DOT standards

[farna@xxxxxxx]

http://www.cfact.org/site/print.asp?idarticle=233

That article is a bit skewed:
"So the facts are clear.  Contrary to much of what you hear, SUVs are not the safety or environmental villains they are made out to be."

I'm not so sure...

"Light truck fuel efficiency has increased 55 percent since the 1970s. In fact, in many instances, today's light trucks and SUV's get better gas mileage than compact cars of the 1970s."

True, but there are also more being used just for crusing around in, and they don't get the mileage that smaller, lighter, same-year cars get. 

"...the new car fleet average fuel economy has doubled from about 14 mpg to 28 mpg and light trucks have improved by 50 percent."

Note how they conveniently left out how much light trucks/big SUVs have imporved! I'd leave the smaller cross-over, more practical vehicles out of this argument -- it's the most truck-like that I think they are skewing/defending here. Average mpg for a large SUV/half-ton truck with six is in the low 20s on the highway, but that with sixes. At least half (probably more) are V-8s that get in the high teens and MIGHT hit 20 if driven carefully. So half-ton capacity vehicles have improved on average (across the board) from about 8 to 16 mpg. Proponents will use lighter capacity, smaller engined vehicles to dilute the figures, and they look good when you only use one of each model to get the average for a manufacturers line-up, but when looking at production numbers the V-8s will overshadow the sixes (no fours in half-tons!). Think Explorer or Trailbalzer and larger. Lots of sixes in that group, but they only get 22 mpg highway (rated -- actual is usually a little less for most d!
 rivers)
. That might put the high for trucks/SUVs that size and larger (the majority) at 19 mpg? I think more like 18, but haven't crunched the numbers. I'm not "picking" on the larger vehicles -- the smaller, lighter ones are made more for passenger conveyances and to get better mileage though, much more practical for that purpose too. 

"If safety is the highest priority for a driver, they should choose the vehicle type with the lowest overall fatality rate. According to The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), that vehicle type is the largest of the SUVs."

So let's all go out and buy Peterbilts. Let's not even consider that more damage to the other vehicle/property is doen by a larger vehicle. I'll be the first to say that if one of us has to go, I'd rather it be one of you rather than me (and I'm sure you guys feel the same way!), but driving a behemouth then charging over the roads like you own them is a bit on the selfish side! I've had big vehicles come over on me and switch lanes or pull out in front of me (much to close!) where the driver would have thought a bit more carefully in a smaller or more average size vehicle. 

     "So the facts are clear.  Contrary to much of what you hear, SUVs are not the safety or environmental villains they are made out to be."

Clear as mud, now that the bottom of the pool's been all stirred in!!

Someone mentioned an exception for real work vehicles for EPA/DOT standards. That wouldn't work, not in simplest terms anyway. There would have to be a change in what consitutes a passenger vs. utility vehicle. That's what has manufacturers skewing the rules now, and is to easy to abuse. There isn't much difference in the efficiency and power of trucks and SUVs now -- hardly enough to notice that much. The safety standards are what's mostly pushed, and for the more luxurious those are being brought up now due to consumer concerns and competition. Some standards like bumper height are different, but can be designed around easy enough given a few years notice. In simplest terms it would be best to have a GVW standard and put it at the biggest SUVs. I don't think many will buy anything bigger than a Navigator! 




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