Brace yourself. The cost of a new car in America is set to explode, skyrocketing by thousands of dollars, all thanks to a new regulation proposed by President Barack Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Under a new 893-page proposal unveiled last week, automakers must hit a fleet-wide fuel economy average of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025–double today’s 27.3 standard. The government says it would cost automakers $8.5 billion per year to comply, which means a spike in sticker prices of at least $2,000 …
Both the Bush and Obama Administrations implemented tougher fuel efficiency standards for vehicles with the message that more stringent regulations will reduce carbon dioxide and save consumers money because they’ll be purchasing less gas. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently announced fleet-wide requirements of 34.1 miles per gallon in 2016 for all automakers in the U.S. Now, are the agencies trying to guilt you into buying a hybrid? The Wall Street Journal reports: The government proposed labeling each new passenger vehicle with a …
Government policies are typically sold as intuitively good ideas. We can give everyone access to health care and cut the deficit. We can inject money into the economy to create jobs and beat the recession. We’ll set up a “Consumer Protection Financial Agency” to do what? Protect the consumer, of course. Government mandates and regulations will help Americans save money on electric bills and at gas stations. The “government knows best” mentality spreads through all sectors of the economy. Yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) delivered that very message when …
Tired of having to drive safe, affordable vehicles? Can’t make a decision at the car lot and want the government to narrow down the decisions for you? Well then you’re in luck. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a great new regulation in store for you. The agency is intending to use the Clean Air Act to improve the fuel efficiency to 35.5 miles per gallon fleetwide by 2016 – four years ahead of schedule when President Bush signed into law the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
At a speech at a General Motors Assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio, President Obama restated his regret for government interference in the auto industry claiming the decision was out of necessity rather than choice. In what many called a campaign-like speech, the President asserted: As I’ve said before, I didn’t run for president to manage auto companies. It wasn’t something on my to-do list. It wasn’t even something on my want-to-do list. I like driving cars — sometimes, you know, I can change a spark plug or change a tire, …
Politicians are touting cash for clunkers as a successful program that has killed two birds with one stone. By handing out taxpayer money to subsidize a portion of the cost of a more fuel efficient vehicle, the program is saving the economy and saving the environment. Although the program increased consumer spending and increased fuel efficiency, the question should be: At what cost? It has been a bureaucratic nightmare laden with unintended consequences. And despite all its ‘success’, GM and Chrysler’s sales in August from a year earlier fell 20 …
From Bloomberg: “The U.S. “cash for clunkers” vehicle trade-in program, credited with reviving auto sales and criticized by dealers for slow reimbursements, will close on Aug. 24, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said.” The government extended the $1 billion program into a $3 billion program and although the program is now set to end Monday, the chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association has reservations the $3 billion will even last through the weekend. It remains to be seen what will happen to auto sales post cash for clunkers. Union leaders …
Ken Belson of the New York Times provides some interesting data points on the cash for clunkers program: The “cash for clunkers” program introduced last week appears to have been a success, at least based on the tens of thousands of consumers who streamed into their local car dealers to swap their beaters for new, more fuel-efficient replacements. But there is more to the numbers than the headlines. According to a survey of car dealerships and 2,200 consumers by CNW Research, the average fuel economy of vehicles traded in last …
Alan Greenspan says no: “It’s an interesting issue. I mean, I have qualms about the concept, but there is no doubt that that very extraordinary response is a very important indicator that the state of confidence in the economy is beginning to pick up. If we had been — the clunker program had been put in place six months ago, it would have probably been a dud.” FoxNews reports, “Greenspan said that the program has worked to get people to buy cars and move stock, but he wouldn’t necessarily recommend …
The auto industry has long been a target of environmental activists. The push to put American consumers in smaller cars has been made quite clear. First, the Obama Administration enacted higher fuel efficiency standards – standards laden with unintended consequences. Now Congress is considering a cap and trade proposal that, by 2035, would raise inflation-adjusted gasoline prices by 58 percent. But that’s not all. The Heritage Foundation’s economic analysis of the Waxman-Markey cap and trade bill found that the transportation equipment industry would be one of the hardest hit sectors. …
