The Long and Winding Road: Automotive Fuel Economy and American Politics

The regulation of fuel economy for motor vehicles, in the United States, has been in existence for over 30 years. Nevertheless, drivers in this country are actually using more fuel per capita than they used, on average, in the larger less fuel efficient vehicles of 1975. There are many reasons why the efforts to ameliorate the use of oil in transportation have fallen so short. This paper discusses some of those reasons. Energy regulation is discussed in detail. Impacts on greenhouse gas emissions are also described. The paper also relates the ways in which other advanced countries have attained much better fuel economy than the United States. Political reasons for the failure of fuel efficiency regulation, in this country, are presented. The paper concludes with a more enlightened energy policy proposal.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/papers/2009/0225_cafe_nivola/0225_cafe_nivola.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Brookings Institution

  1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20036
• Authors:
  • Nivola, Pietro S
• Publication Date: 2009-2-25

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: 22p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Energy; Environmental impacts; Environmental policy; Environmental protection; Exhaust gases; Fuel consumption; Greenhouse gases; Motor vehicles; Politics; Regulation
• Identifier Terms: Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE)
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment; I15: Environment; I90: Vehicles;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01126438
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 13 2009 2:59PM