THE CAR COACH REPORTS:

March 17th, 2017

The Green Divide Edition

This week has seen some interesting division in the auto world over CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) and EVs.  In the first instance, Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he wanted to review the midterm 2025 CAFE standards and seek the input of the auto industry, something the last administration promised but didn’t deliver on. 

http://www.autoblog.com/2017/03/16/amtrak-train-snow-plow-video/?hcid=hp-tile-large3

President Trump views the standards as an obstacle to employment opportunities for the American worker and hopes that reviewing and possibly (no promises) adjusting the target MPGs will help stimulate manufacturing jobs here at home. That may or may not happen to be honest, but at least President Trump is willing to listen to the industry executives and not theorists at the EPA who talk of saving money and placing unrealistic restraints on the auto industry. Trump, like many industry leaders, feel that the standards are not in keeping with market trends. 

Naturally, some Democrats and industry outsiders disagree. Moreover, cities in the U.S. are doubling down on their commitment to changing the auto landscape by ordering $10 billion in EVs for municipal use partly in protest of the President’s views on CAFE standards.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20170314/OEM/303149926/cities-defying-trump-seek-to-dangle-10-billion-order-for-evs

The logic here is ridiculous. These cities, which are mostly liberal strongholds, want to show the industry and the President that there is a demand for EVs. How? By buying them themselves? Actually, the 30 or cities that have pledged to carry almost the entire EV industry have only initiated the process by asking for bids and numbers. But the whole thing is still laughable. 

Los Angeles—go figure—is one of the cities clamoring for EVs to lead the way on accepting climate change policies and changing the industry accordingly. But here is the thing.  The L.A. Auto show, this year, had more truck and SUV showings than any previous year. And the L.A. auto show is typically the greenest of auto shows.  In fact, numbers show that the L.A. area is one of the leaders in SUV and truck buying. And yet it is committed to showing the President that there is a market for EVs. 

And just for reference, according to this article, the amount of EVs the cities are wanting to possibly, maybe buy, accounts for 72 percent of all EVs sold last year. So, just to be clear, in order to show the demand for EVs to the federal government, local government is investigating buying the vehicles for government use to show that the public wants EVs. 

If I was a taxpayer in one of these cities, and not a fan of EVs, I would be a little upset. I think this is even dumber than all the EV purchasing bribes rebates that the taxpayer has to pay for. This is yet another example of the government and the minority of citizens doing its own will and not that of all the people. 

What do you think?

Post your comments on Twitter @LaurenFix

Final Thought:

As the Northeast is being inundated with snow from successive winter storms, here is a video of what happens when snow accumulates on train tracks and a train doesn’t slow down. http://www.autoblog.com/2017/03/16/amtrak-train-snow-plow-video/?hcid=hp-tile-large3

I feel bad for the people on the platform because they have nowhere to go.

Two takeaways from this: 1.) Perhaps train stations should clear the tracks of snow, and 2.) maybe when there is snow on the ground people shouldn’t stand near said snow. 

For the rest of us, stay dry and warm as winter has returned with a vengeance. 

Post your comments on Twitter @LaurenFix or on her Facebook Page

Love Your Car! See you next week!

–Lauren Fix