Bob King, president of the United Auto Workers, has gone on record to say that his union supports the new CAFE fuel economy standard, which would increase the average efficiency of vehicles sold in the United States to 54.5 mpg by 2025.
The standard will generate jobs and reduce costs for consumers, King stated in testimony to representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in Detroit.
“We are excited about the new green technologies that are being developed in the United States and produced in UAW-represented facilities,” King said. “These proposed rules will reduce the pollution that contributes to climate change, significantly reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and save American families money at the pump. They will also create jobs in the auto industry and throughout the economy.”
The CAFE standard has been a contentious issue since its introduction in July of 2011, with several automakers calling for revisions and other organizations voicing skepticism over the claimed cost savings for consumers.
“The proposals drastically underestimate the cost impact on new vehicles,” said Don Chalmers of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA).
Chalmers said NADA is readying a report that will prove that the standards will add nearly $5,000 to the price of a new car as opposed to the $3,500 claimed by the Obama administration. The extra cost will make cars more difficult to obtain for cash strapped consumers and those with poor credit, Chalmers stated.
References
1.’King: new fuel…’ view
