CAFE stds on the chopping block
NYT Good riddance. There is no way that the average fleet mileage would ever come close to those numbers anyway. Hopefully the ethanol scam will be cut at the same time.
Forum Discussion
rhagfo wrote:
Yes, in the 70's they were needed we had some pretty bad air in several cities. That said there is a point of diminishing returns. that is where the common sense goes out the door.
Fleet average of 54 mpg, could mean a lot of electric or hybrid. While the car produces less emissions, what does it take to produce the car in the first place. The environmental impact of producing the batteries. How is the electricity that powers an all electric car produced. Hydro power is on the hit list, that leaves oil, gas,coal, or nuclear. Just saying there are trade offs.
I took several graduate classes in Environmental Studies and one of the professors always talked about SLOT Efficiency....SLOT= Second Law of Thermodynamics. The second law deals with entropy (chaos) in a system, the transfer of heat (energy) and that all inputs of energy into a non-reversible system interact until it reaches equilibrium.
Basically, it means exactly what you just said. You can't just look at the EPA rating on the sticker and assume you're more efficient. You have to look at SLOT efficiency, or the entire system required to make the car plus the efficiency of each individual vehicle. Does it take more energy to create the parts of a hybrid car? Maybe. Will it last as long as a diesel or gas powered car? Does it need the same, fewer, or more inputs (replacement parts) than an equivalent combustion powered car. What are the sum total pollution outputs of each piece of the manufacturing pie to make each car, the fuels (electricity of petroleum), and the replacement parts.
A diesel locomotive is a great example. If you look at the fuel they guzzle it will boggle your mind. But, if you compare fuel useage in terms of gallons/ton/mile the locomotive is vastly more efficient than an equal number of semis needed to carry the same load the same distance. Also, when you compare vehicle maintenance, road/track maintenance and all other pieces in the puzzle the locomotive still wins. So yes, a locomotive burns a LOT MORE fuel than a semi, but when you compare how much work it does for the same amount of fuel it's a huge advantage. The road surface? concrete and asphalt can be sort-of recycled. Steel train tracks? Melt them down and get almost all the steel back into new tracks.
KJ
