Gas Prices Are Up but Not Fuel Economy Little Change Since 1980s, EPA Finds

By Sholnn FreemanWashington Post Staff WriterTuesday, July 18, 2006;

Automakers have made no progress in improving vehicle fuel economy over the past year, continuing a nearly 25-year trend of industry stagnation on gasoline mileage, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

In an annual report released yesterday, the EPA said the industry-wide fuel economy of 2006 model-year vehicles was 21 miles per gallon, the same as the year-ago level. Detroit automakers trailed their fast-growing Japanese, Korean and European counterparts, the report found.
Honda Motor Co. continued to rank at the top of the list with the best fuel economy, an EPA-estimated 24.2 miles per gallon. Toyota Motor Corp. was No. 2, with 23.8 miles per gallon. Volkswagen AG and Hyundai Motor Co.'s Kia and Hyundai brands tied for third at 23.5 miles per gallon.

While Detroit automakers lagged behind their competitors, General Motors Corp. had the best showing of the Big Three, with 20.5 miles per gallon, followed by Ford Motor Co., at 19.7 miles per gallon, moving it up one slot from last place a year ago. DaimlerChrysler AG, which includes the Mercedes division and the Chrysler brands, was at the bottom of the list, with fuel economy of 19.1 miles per gallon.

The EPA said its study found the 2006 model-year vehicles to be the heaviest, fastest and most powerful vehicles than in any year since the agency began collecting data. Environmentalists have complained that automakers are investing in technologies that make cars go faster or tow more at the expense of improving vehicle fuel efficiency.

Gloria Bergquist, a spokeswoman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which represents many of the automakers, said the industry is building more vehicles with fuel-saving technology, but consumers are still buying heavier, faster vehicles in large numbers.
"The fuel-efficient models are out there, we just need to sell more," she said. "We are trying very hard."

Fuel economy made rapid increases in the mid-1970s and in the 1980s. The 1982 level was 21.1 miles per gallon, almost exactly today's level. The U.S. government began pressing for improvements in fuel-economy rules after the oil shocks of the early 1970s. Mileage for the industry peaked in 1987 and 1988, when the EPA estimated vehicle fuel economy was 22.1 miles per gallon. But industry economy levels gradually began to decline the 1990s, as large, gas-hungry sport-utility vehicles rose in popularity.

The report's fuel-economy measurements were based on laboratory data adjusted downward by about 15 percent to better represent real-world driving conditions. The data are equivalent to the estimates provided to consumers on new-vehicle labels.

So far this year, lawmakers have rejected attempts to offer legislation to increase the government's fuel-economy rules. In a speech in Washington today, James E. Press, chief executive of Toyota's U.S. division, is expected to reiterate his company's pledge to build more fuel-efficient models, including a goal to sell 1 million hybrid models annually worldwide by 2010.

Last month, Ford dropped a pledge to build 250,000 hybrid models annually by 2010, saying it will expand into other fuel-saving technologies, such as ethanol, a fuel made from corn or potentially from other agricultural products.

The EPA, in its report, said recent technological developments such as improved transmission and engine designs, clean diesel technology and hybrid vehicles hold promise for improving fuel economy in the near future.

As gas prices climb, U.S. car buyers are steadily moving to smaller cars and trucks. This shift caught some automakers off guard, particularly those in Detroit. The U.S. automakers rely heavily on big vehicles for profits and are suffering as that market has contracted.

No excuses with telecommuting.

The Buyout Sweepstakes

GM has offered buyouts to all of its 113,000 hourly employees in the United States. More than 35,000 workers took advantage of the offer by the June 23 deadline, and are expected to leave the company by the end of the year.

In contrast, Ford is only offering buyouts at some of its factories. Fewer than 6,000 Ford workers had accepted buyout offers as of July 1.

In addition as a reminder - Per instructions and in the interest of conserving energy, the A/C in this building is turned off over the weekend. It is turned back on again on Monday mornings at 5:00AM. Obviously it will take a little time to catch up, but not long. I was here fairly early this morning and it was not bad. Please refrain from calling maintenance, security, etc to complain about the heat on Monday mornings - be patient and bear with us.

Perhaps as an alternative to buyouts GM and Ford should offer their "workers" stock options that can be exercised sometime in the distant future, when the powers that be have determined that again the "big two" will be profitable. In addition as an alternative to turning down the thermostat "over the weekend", GM and Ford should institute mandatory telecommuting to reduce their carbon foot print everyday.

Google my Noodle

As the auto industry sings their well known song, Google dances in with their creativity, innovation and technology and steals the show.

If only when Google came to Ann Arbor they would have brought an alternative way of conducting business to assist the auto industry for their future success. A relationship between GM, Ford and Google at this point would be beneficial for all parties. Google could easily employ thousands of Michiganders with the development and deployment of a home office designed with those customers in mind.

Telecommuting is the way of the future, perhaps in the way distant future. But it will come.

The rise or fall of GM?

What could GM and Nissan have in common?

What does Stanford Ovshinsky , Robert Stempel and GM have in common?

21st century corporation finds technology.

Heat's on GM board

Directors likely to form study committee on Renault-Nissan deal;
management team seems cool to idea.

The board will meet by telephone today to consider the GM-Renault-Nissan partnership proposed by Kerkorian and his top adviser, York, in secret meetings with Ghosn.

Romper Room

Romper Room was a children's television series which ran in the United States from 1953 to 1994 as well as at various times in Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. The program was targeted at pre-schoolers (children five years of age or younger).

At the end of each broadcast, the hostess would look through a "magic mirror" (in reality, just a small transparent mirror with a handle) and name the children she saw in "televisionland."

She would begin with the rhyme: "Romper, bomper, stomper boo. Tell me, tell me, tell me, do. Magic mirror, tell me today. Have all my friends been good at play?" She would then lead into "I can see Scotty and Kimberly and Julie and Jimmy and Marcie and all of you boys and girls out there!" To give the children the impression that they might be the next one called, the names were changed every day.

And over 50 years later we have?

It's not brain surgery...

Telecommuting or the Flying Car

Which came first; Telecommuting or the Flying Car?

What would be the advantages and disadvantages of both? And where do you fit into that equation?

Face time at the click of a mouse.