Published September 3, 2012
By Philippe Crowe
Most entities involved in the automotive spectrum went with an official press release stating in benign terms their position toward the new 2025 Corporate Average Fuel Economy ruling.
Most were written with the usual political correctness, stating satisfaction with the ruling and reinforcing their intention on respecting the limit and working toward achieving the mandated “54.5” mpg average (which amounts to low 40s on car window stickers).
However the press release sent by the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) got us wondering if the association was not hoping for something else out of the ruling.
Brian Wynne, president of the EDTA, issued the following statement in response to August 29 release of the Obama administration’s final rule on fuel economy standards for cars and light-duty trucks by Model Year 2025:
“EDTA is encouraged by the recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) of the importance of electric drive in achieving the nation’s fuel economy goals and of its ‘game-changing’ potential. While we are just beginning to analyze the full details, the rule does establish critical regulatory incentives to help manufacturers build their electric drive fleets.
“Battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell electric drive technologies are critical tools in reducing our nation’s dependence on foreign oil and greenhouse gas emissions while bolstering the economy. These technologies utilize ample, affordable and domestic electricity which can be used in many configurations, in combination with conventional and alternative fuels, giving automakers flexibility in meeting these new standards. EDTA is conducting further analysis of the rule and looks forward to continuing our communication with the EPA and DOT on the best ways to achieve our common goals.”
We are looking forward to see if the EDTA will comment further once its analysis of the ruling is completed.
