A Future Free of CAFE

The Michigan Partisan

By Page W. H. Brousseau IV
TIMES STAFF WRITER

Chances are Thomas Jefferson, in all his sublime genius, never could have imagined the automobile of today.

On that topic, James Madison could never have imagined the federal government regulating how far automobiles may operate on gallon of gas. Madison would be none too pleased that the federal government can have a say in what trees may be cut down, water removed on privately owned land, or even regulating the maximum amount of water hat is allowed to be flushed down a toilet.

Sticking to the automobile topic for now, the absurdity and intrusiveness of the government regulating miles-per-gallon (mpg) in privately owned vehicles is the antithesis of the proper role of government according to Madison.

In the mid 1970s, Congress implemented the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) to deal with the Arab Oil Embargo and the approaching calamity with the nation's oil situation. Cars then seldom got more than 10 mpg, so CAFE was created to set a minimum standard for mpg, and force Detroit to increase fuel efficiency. Within ten years mpg doubled. Since then, CAFÉ has become the darling of environmentalists and Democratic Party.

Now we find ourselves in a war with an uncertain end and unreliable allies, notably Saudi Arabia, which is second to Canada in oil imports into the United States.

A recent study has revealed that the average mpg for new cars being sold has actually dropped in the past years. These factors are leading certain groups to call for an increase in CAFE. But market demands make CAFE all hut irrelevant to the increase of mpg.

The report on the decrease in average mpg has been misconstrued to partisan purposes. Some lawmakers in D.C. would have you believe a 2001 LeSabre gets less mpg than a 1991 LeSabre with an equivalent engine, which is of course, not true. The reason for the decrease in mpg is the dramatic increase in SUVs and light trucks being sold in recent years. As the mpg of cars increased so has the proportion of SUVs and light trucks that compose the total amount of new vehicles. SUVs and light trucks now make up nearly half of all new vehicles sold. Automakers did not increase fuel efficiency without a federal government CAFÉ increase to appease Ralph Nader. They did it to compete in the market.

Before the 1980s, fuel efficient imports form Japan and Europe where unheard of, now they are plentiful and are even being built by Americans. Trying to stave off competition has started what can be called a Big Three arms race over Hybrids.

These next generation vehicles run on a gas and electric motor that is charged off energy created from friction when the brake is engaged. Within three years DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors will all have full size SUVs that average over 30 mpg, and in Ford's case, their new Escape will get over 40 mpg. That is a 15-20 mpg increase, all without governmental interference.

Already the Big Three are looking passed Hybrids, in a Newsweek article last month, a GM engineer enthusiastically states that by 2010 he expects to see commercialization of a vehicle with hydrogen fuel cells.

Fuel efficiency has increased without federal government inference, however, the federal government is subsidizing new technology research. Though the research on fuel cells may be out of Madison's view of the proper role for government, but the increase of dependence on foreign oil is certainly a matter of concern for the federal government.

Instead of forcing automobile manufactures to alter the availability of autos in the market, the federal government is using its financial resources to advance society and help manufactures to meet the growing market demand for high mpg vehicles form abroad.

Despite good intentions, CAFE has not only had no effect on increase mpg in recent years, but has led to tragic consequences. As manufactures are forced to increase mpg, they are forced to cut back in size. The reduction of size has to two problems.

First: size, or mass, of a vehicle often absorbs the force on impact and thus protecting the passengers.

Second: as manufactures change product their product lineups consumers are left without choices. According to a National Research Council report, the reduction of automobile weight "probably resulted in an additional 1,300 to 2,500 traffic fatalities in 1993." The reason SUVs have become so popular is because the powerful "man's car" of the 1960s and 1970s is no more. It is hard to equate a 2002 Ford Focus to a 1969 Dodge Charger in terms of power and beauty.

Now SUVs have become the new muscle cars. CAFE forced car owners into SUV because of the lack of power and size available in the passenger car line. With added cost of mpg, the federal government has forced new cars out of the price range of many in America.

With higher CAFE standards a decrease in selection of cars available would occur and the increase price of big cars, vans and SUVs would lead to the Big Three selling less of these high profit vehicles and more fuel-efficient less profitable cars. This would cause less revenue and compel layoffs in the auto industry. The loss of revenue for DaimlerChrysler may force the company out of business.

In the end, the power of the consumer is stronger than the power of any environmentalist group. As the new Segway, or IT, has proven, private investors are hard at work developing alternatives to autos and petroleum.

As long as the government forgoes implementing restrictive regulations and protects the environment that allows competition, corporations will invent alternatives to petroleum and even automobiles. Then our futures will be clearer and CAFE will be as distant as the horse drawn carriage.