In How They Can Squeeze More Miles From the Gallon, December 05, 2007, Marianne Lavelle writes on how car manufacturers can make more fuel-efficient cars. In her article, Lavelle tells us about the 244-page decision handed down in September by Vermont Federal Judge William K. Sessions regarding California’s effort to force carmakers to limit their greenhouse gas emissions. Lavelle writes:
The short version is that the judge agreed with California’s (fuels) expert witness, who estimated that the initial increased vehicle cost for consumers would be about $1,500. Not only would this be offset by about $5,000 in fuel savings over the car’s lifetime, if fuel is $3 per gallon, but the judge said it is likely the premium would be only temporary. “The automobile industry has historically been very effective at improving the quality of necessary technology while decreasing its cost,” he said. Sessions said the estimate by the automakers’ expert witness, that more fuel efficiency would cost consumers $5,000 per car, was inflated because he had not considered these already available technologies.
For more please see Beyond the Barrel.