We invite you to join us in working to make 40 miles per gallon the standard for all automobiles in the United States. http://www.40mpg.org en-us Wed, 14 May 2008 16:05:07 -0500 "... to preach energy independence, reduce greenhouse gases and educate the public about alternative fuels."  Cars that have participated in the event in the past have gotten up to 100 MPG.  This year's winners: "... a biodiesel-powered Harley-Davidson motorcycle ridden by New England Biodiesel founder Bill Bolch took top fuel honors at 89 miles per gallon, while a Chevrolet Equinox powered by a hydrogen fuel cell was second overall in the road rally."  ...  With gas prices continuing to hit records, we are all looking for ways to conserve. Consumer Reports recently released tips on how to  pinch pennies at the pump - and also deflated a few myths in the process  ...  More evidence that car buyers are rejecting gas hogs and moving to more fuel efficient vehicles: An auto dealer in Florida said buyers are coming in with charts and calculators to look at vehicles with better fuel efficiency.  Not by coincidence, these folks are also trying to dump their big trucks. ...    ]]> http://www.40mpg.org/weeklyupdate.cfm#173 "If it's a gallon of E-10, which is a blend of 10 percent ethanol and conventional gas, there's an energy difference of about 3.4 percent. Now that may not seem like much when you're topping off the tank this week. But over the course of a year of normal driving, it would take an additional 40 gallons of E-10 to go the same distance as conventional gas. If they were both priced the same, it would mean an extra $120."  And in a side-by-side comparison taking into account energy loss, E85 can also cost a household nearly $100 per year more than conventional gas  ...  If you're still looking for a way to improve your fuel economy, take a look at your tires ... ]]> http://www.40mpg.org/weeklyupdate.cfm#172 Europification. Sound familiar? It should since we reported not only last year but more than two years ago that Americans want access to more fuel efficient vehicles available only in Europe and Asia. Business Week notes: "Call it the Europification of the American automobile. In the Old World, small engines and cars are the norm and have been for years. In a perverse way, higher fuel prices may actually help the carmakers. CAFÉ is based on what vehicles the carmakers sell. With oil at $119 a barrel and gasoline hitting $4 a gallon in some places, consumers are already demanding smaller, more efficient cars. The new fuel rules may be tough for auto makers to hit, but consumers were seeking efficiency even before Congress started mulling tougher fuel economy proposals more than a year ago." ... Those truckers woes we noted in early April have now made their way to Washington, as a convoy of truckers with horns blaring made their way to Capitol Hill to protest high fuel prices and demand government action ... And if you're looking for more details on how the new CAFÉ standards will work, Harry Stoffer of Automotive News explains how the new standards will effect various automakers differently ... ]]> http://www.40mpg.org/weeklyupdate.cfm#171 new federal fuel efficiency standards rolled out with much fanfare yesterday would increase fuel economy to a 31.6 MPG average for cars and trucks by 2015 and "save 55 billion gallons of fuel -- or $100 billion at the pump -- and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 521 million metric tons over the life of the new vehicles." Our question is this: Why is Washington shooting so low on MPG? We already know that much higher levels of fuel economy are possible faster and others agree that the time for half solutions has passed ... With gas prices continuing to rise each week to historical records across the country, including $4 gas in California, we need to push for the maximum achievable fuel efficiency ASAP ... There is a rising uproar around the world blaming the U.S. focus on corn-based ethanol for driving up world food prices, causing some lawmakers to wonder if the whole short-sighted focus on corn-based ethanol was a mistake. Some groups are trying to help alleviate the problem by looking to other sources for biofuels ... Some Maryland residents look for ways to achieve significantly improved fuel economy ... and a new small car coming to the U.S. market from Ford by 2010 is part of the growing movement away from gas-hog SUVS towards gas-sipping smaller vehicles ...]]> http://www.40mpg.org/weeklyupdate.cfm#170 Nissan and Chrysler have announced a new partnership. Nissan will build and all-new small fuel efficient car for Chrysler, similar to the Versa, and Chrysler will build Nissan a version of its Dodge Ram pickup to replace the Titan pickup. CNN Money notes: "Chrysler badly needs a high-volume small car to cushion it from the precipitous falloff in its pickups and SUVs, as well as to meet stringent new federal fuel economy regulations in 2020. With sales this year down 15.5% - more than any other major automaker - Chrysler also needs to demonstrate more vitality."  Could there be any clearer indication of how Detroit missed the high-MPG boat?  If you don't want to hear it from us, read the words of Bloomberg commentator Doron Levin, who points out that the Big Three automakers are victims of their own miscalculations in essentially giving the small car market starting in the 90's to the Asian carmakers  ...  This Buffalo News editorial is right on the money: "With record oil prices topping $100 a barrel this year and gas prices now climbing toward $4 a gallon, America's oil addiction is more painful than ever. So far the government response has been far more rhetoric than action. That must change. ... As the presidential candidates continue to stump for the White House, America's addiction to oil should be on the campaign agenda." ... ]]> http://www.40mpg.org/weeklyupdate.cfm#169