What do the new MPG/emissions stardards mean to us?

What is going to happen with more efficient cars on the road? Will that tend to kill the EV? Will that mean we will be a oil driven transportation society longer? Will "Peak Oil" be pushed out further into the future?

With the new MPG standards, the auto makers are going to have to come out with some super sippers so they can still produce the gas guzzlers. With cars available that get incredible mileage, would there still be as much incentive to produce EV's?

Deron.

yes

It could mean a number of things. A higher standard MPG means either actual efficiency improvements that could come by actual improvement in technology(Whether that be the true-hybrid enabler of those future super-charged a123s or other forms of energy recapture or management) or by possibly decreasing the power that consumers are used to. If it ends up reducing the average power the consumer is used to, the perceived performance gap between EVs and standard gas vehicles would be decreased. However, the perceivable cost difference between the two would also be decreased, meaning there'd be less financial incentive.

So, in essence, I believe these new standards are lengthening the life that gasoline vehicles are living, but its death is inevitable (assuming no radical changes in molecular technology or societal structure).

It means in about 10 15 years there will be used cars out there light enough to be worth converting. Sooner of course if you can afford the high mpg car new. They could even end up being fairly affordable, since you have to strip so much to get that light. Or real expensive, if they go the carbon fiber route.

I'm thinking you will see some sort of very small engine combination, a four or three cylinder turbocharged or battery assisted. More electronic controls optimizing engine operation. Aerodynamics will make every car look the same except for color. Like dogman says, light will be a huge factor. There will probably be a bigger push to improve batteries. Diesel will probably be a factor.

Of course fuel taxes will go up. If we use less gas, the government will see less income from it and raise taxes to more then make up the difference.

Deron.

it just requires that they raise the road taxes to $4/gallon. then people can decide to drive whatever they want, and the use of rationing would help because then those who need extra rations could buy it from those who don't and those who receive the money for the ration can use it to buy an electric bike.

i think road taxes are more fair than taxes on the oil producers. for some treason people blame them for the price of fuel when i think it is obvious that the oil producers have made oil products too cheap and have provoked an unmitigated waste over the last 50 years.

nobody is gonna stop until we run out. so it is better to pretend we are running out now and get gasoline up to $6-7/gallon. minimum, immediately.