It seems BMW is not the only manufacturer that is not happy about the proposed CAFE standards and saying something about it. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, representing nearly 80 percent of the new vehicle market in the U.S., including Chrysler , GM, Ford , Toyota , BMW and five other automakers, told the NHTSA its plans are too expensive for automakers who are under economic stress.
The CAFE regulations, which will become final by year’s end, thus far call for a manufacturers’ passenger car fuel economy average to increase by 4.5 percent every year between 2011 and 2015. In 2015, cars would need to average 35.7mpg and trucks 28.6mpg, which represents an approximate 25 percent improvement from current levels. The curveball lies in the fact different-sized vehicles would need to meet individual consumption goals, hence BMW ’s issue, as its trucks would have to average 31.7mpg.
Today, July 1, is the deadline the NHTSA set to receive feedback on its proposal, and the Alliance is making itself heard. It said the NHTSA proposal underestimates the costs involved in complying with its standards and overestimates their social benefits, as per an Automotive News report.
