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U.S. consumers' frustration grows |
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A great majority of Americans demand equal access to the dozens of fuel-efficient cars currently only sold outside the country. While they intensify pressure on Congress to raise federal fuel efficiency standards, policymakers are starting to move.
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2007-02-28
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86% of consumers think that vehicles from U.S. and foreign carmakers achieving a fuel efficiency of 35 miles per gallon (mpg) or more should be available to them inside the U.S. This translates to a potential market of at least 2.5 million U.S. consumers for the introduction of fuel-efficient cars currently sold outside the country.
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In addition, 85% of Americans now agree that higher fuel efficiency is needed, and 80% would support "Congress in taking the lead to achieve the highest possible fuel efficiency as quickly as possible" by raising the federal minimum standard to 40 mpg. More than ¾ think that requiring the same kind of vehicle fuel efficiency that is already achieved in Europe would help troubled U.S. carmakers to close the gap on their global competitors.
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These results from a national opinion survey conducted by the non-profit Civil Society Institute do not come as a surprise bearing in mind that only two vehicles sold in the U.S. achieve a combined gas mileage of at least 40 mpg while 113 of such vehicles are already available overseas.
U.S. States won't wait for federal move
While the U.S. automotive industry has long opposed more stringent standards, U.S. President Bush announced in his State of the Union message a reduction of U.S. fuel consumption by 20% over the next decade. On 6 February, the Bush administration was reported to have submitted first draft legislation to Congress that would give the Environmental Protection Agency the authority to raise fuel economy standards.
However, as the announced legislation does not cover greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, more and more U.S. States try to tackle this issue at the State level.
On 13 February, both the New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine and the Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich called for a GHG emissions reduction to 1990 levels by 2020. Following the example of California, the two States will now work on specific recommendations and the introduction of legislation to address major industry sectors, including transport.
"In the absence of leadership on the federal level the burden has now fallen upon state executives," said Corzine, while Blagojevich added that "we can't wait for the federal government to act."
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More information:
 CSI Study: "U.S. Consumers and Foreign Fuel-Efficient Vehicles" (1.8 MB)
› See our related news from 29 January, 2007
› Find out more about the U.S. legislation in our Policies Section
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