GM CEO Rick Wagoner said he doubts the next President of the United States will allow states to pass their own greenhouse gas emissions for new cars at a recent media breakfast. Several U.S. states have taken the matter to court, in their attempt to be able to set individual legislation, with California and its air resources board headlining the battle.
While the GM chief simply said he is “not resigned†to states getting their own legislation despite what the current presidential candidates are saying, it is possible a new president will reverse the Bush administration’s blockage of state rules, according to Automotive News. The GM chief remains convinced the president will focus on economic growth, towards which a healthy automotive sector is a key contributor, and giving states mandates to make harsh laws will interfere with that, causing market chaos.
California research is already calling on corporate average fuel economy of about 40 mpg by 2020, significantly higher than the government-imposed CAFE standard of 35 mpg. Wagoner also made it clear he’s not happy about meeting that hurdle, as it will cost GM and other manufacturers huge amounts of money on products customers may not even want to buy.
