mmarshall

Habious

I think it's also important to note that CAFE standards are based on the average fuel economy of the cars the auto manufacturers SELL.

It's not about the average fuel economy of their lineup.

If Ferrari offered an econo-box that got 80 MPG...it wouldn't affect their CAFE numbers if nobody bought it.

Personally, I think it's a big messed up to punish auto manufacturers for what the public wants. If we (as consumers) choose to buy the V-6 Camry over the underwhelming 4-banger, how is that the manufacturer's fault?

T0ked

iTrader: (2)

I see a lot of hybrid vehicles on the road. I don't think they are not selling well. I see many hybrid Camrys, Altimas, Escapes, and Sonatas in the NYC area along with the Prius. The tech is becoming mature enough and cheap enough that with rising CAFE standards, it's the wise thing to do.

mmarshall

The one thing, though, that these laws cannot do is actually force people to BUY them, which is why the government tries to do it with what are essentially bribes..............tax credits, deductions, Cash-for-Clunkers, HOV Priviledges, etc.....just like auto manufacturers do with rebates.

geko29

To be fair, Ferrari doesn't have a CAFE number...they simply don't move enough volume throughout their lineup to be subject to the rules. Legally-speaking, they're free to make exclusively 6mpg hypercars if that's what serves their market.

But your broader point is indeed true. If the major manufacturers want to avoid the penalties associated with missing the CAFE requirements, they have to make hybrids/diesels/CNG/insert technology here cars that people want to buy. And there are definitely some decent ones out there. Aside from Toyota/Lexus, one of my employees is on his second Ford Fusion hybrid (first one got rear-ended by a suburban and totaled), and loves the hell out of it. He's averaging 53mpg, which is not bad for a solidly midsized car that's both roomy and comfortable to ride in.

GS69

Forget Hybrids:
Auto Industry Looks to TurboCharging

Sure, electric cars like those from Tesla and hybrids like Toyota's Prius grab the headlines. But when it comes to cumulatively saving the most gas, the auto industry is increasingly turning to another technology: turbochargers.

Federal regulators are planning a mid-term evaluation of the nation's fuel-economy standards that the auto industry must meet by 2025. With sales of hybrid and electric vehicles falling, automakers are planning to argue that they should get more credit with conventional technology like turbocharged engines.

Turbocharging has quietly taken a larger place in the auto industry and has piled up some big accomplishments. Ford, for instance, announced last week that it has hit the one-million mark when it comes to selling pickup trucks equipped with its EcoBoost turbocharged engines.

Vehicles with turbocharged engines made up 8% of market in 2010. Last year, they had almost tripled their market share with 22%. Looking ahead, they are expected to hit 38% by 2020, says consultants LMC Automotive. The gas savings may not be as big as those from hybrids or electric cars which depend on batteries, but turbos are a cheaper way to save fuel.

"It’s 1 of the more popular alternatives," says Kevin Riddell, automotive analyst for LMC.

Turbochargers use fan-like wheels to feed air into a conventional internal-combustion engine. Turbos kick in when the driver demands more power. They allow automakers to reduce the size of engines, which saves gas.

"Engine downsizing has become a big thing to produce the same amount of power with a smaller motor," Riddell says.

Ford's turbocharged engine for the F-150, the nation's best-selling vehicle, looked like a tough sell with its hidebound pickup truck owners who loved their big V-8s when it was introduced in 2010. The EcoBoost turbocharged engine moved them down to 6 cylinders.

Ford made the case that the engines save fuel and are still powerful and have more towing capacity than competitors.

Today, Ford's 2.7-liter and 3.5-liter V-6 EcoBoost engines together account for 60% of the automaker's F-150 sales. The engine seems to have evolved into a brand unto itself.

Ford estimates F-150 owners with EcoBoost engines will collectively save an estimated $255 million over the course of a year if gas prices remain at today's $2.30 per gallon national average.

Ford is planning to introduce a redesigned and more powerful engine this fall on its 2017 F-150 pickups.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

I'd venture a guess as to a more HiPo 3.5L EcoBoost

Sulu

But hybrid engines save more fuel than turbocharged engines.

Turbochargers may be cumulatively saving the most gas but that is only because it is much easier (and cheaper) to turbocharge a small engine as a fuel-saver, than to add a parallel electric drivetrain to the same engine. So there are more turbocharged vehicles available than hybrid or electric vehicles.

That's what happens when pump prices fall. That is not the fault of hybrid and electric vehicles. But turbocharging should be an easier sell -- even with low pump prices. Turbocharged engines can be marketed as power boosters when pump prices are low and as fuel savers when pump prices go back up (even if many turbocharged engines actually save very little fuel); hybrid and electric vehicles have only been marketed as fuel savers.

My point exactly. And profits on turbocharged vehicles will be higher than hybrids as well.

gengar

... and even more sadly, only because they didn't have the guts. Remember the GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept II - all the way back from 2011?

http://www.carscoops.com/2011/11/toy...ts-hybrid.html

gengar

Just to clarify - CAFE numbers are fleetwide by parent company/manufacturer, not brand. So Ferrari currently doesn't have any independent CAFE data because they were part of FCA until the beginning of this year. Presumably, now that they're independent, they'll apply for an exemption because they sell fewer than 5k vehicles/year in the US - which I believe is still the limit for exemptions. Lotus, McLaren, and Aston Martin are among the others that apply for exemptions every year.

The fleetwide nature of CAFE does show how governmental regulations, as usual, favor big companies and megacorps over smaller businesses - which is a very unfortunate impact. Why should a company like McLaren be discouraged from importing 5k+ cars per year into the USA market? Meanwhile, brands like Lamborghini not only don't have that problem, but don't have to care about mpg at all because VWAG sells 30 Jetta and A3 units that make 30-40mpg for every Lamborghini they sell.

rogerh00

I think we've all fallen asleep with low fuel prices. All it will take is one world crisis and watch the prices sky rocket. $4-6 dollars/gal will become the norm. When your business and lively hood depends on a vehicle then a Hybrid/elec will look good. I think the manufacturers are betting on it.

Aron9000

In other hybrid news, Honda reintroduced the Accord hybrid. This time its a 4 cylinder, 49mpg city/47mpg highway rating, 212hp. Kind of pricey though, 29k for cloth seats, 32k for leather/sunroof in EX-L trim, which puts it as a wee bit pricier than the V6 models.

JDR76

I think Honda did a great job with the Accord hybrid.

Fizzboy7

Hybrid sedans from the big companies sell extremely well in SoCal. There is no sitting on lots with these cars. Drive through any progressive suburban Los Angeles neighbor with brand new houses and you'll find hoards of new hybrid sedans. People love these things for their commute.

Aron9000

Makes sense because the fuel market in California is so, pardon my french, ****ed up. Prices are still extremely volatile and can go up $1, 2 a gallon in a couple of days for no reason. Also, I'd buy an Accord hybrid over a Prius even if it does cost $7,000 more, its just that much nicer of a car and the fuel economy is pretty similar.