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No letter grades on new cars, House lawmakers say
The politicians said adding letter grades to the stickers was biased in favor of electric cars and would hurt sales of SUVs and trucks.
Wed, Dec 08 2010 at 5:43 PM
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UPDATE: The stickers have not been updated in three decades and the government wants the labels to reflect new technologies and account for emissions affecting the environment. (Photo: EPA)
Dozens of House lawmakers are putting a big red "F" on a government plan to put letter grades on the window stickers of new cars and trucks to rate a vehicle's fuel efficiency.
Fifty-three House members said in a letter Wednesday to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Transportation Department that a proposal to add letter grades to the stickers was biased in favor of electric cars and would hurt sales of sport utility vehicles and trucks. Consumers use the stickers to compare vehicles when shopping for a new vehicle.
"Changing this system to a letter grade would cause consumer confusion and tip the scales unfairly against many fuel-efficient SUVs and trucks, relegating them to a C or C+ grade," said Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Mich. The letter was signed by 17 Democrats and 36 Republicans.
The Obama administration said in August it was considering adding grades ranging from A+ for the most fuel-efficient to D for the least fuel-efficient to the stickers. Environmentalists have said the changes will make it easier for consumers to compare vehicles and save money at the gas pump.
But the lawmakers said the plan was "biased in favor of certain types of vehicles" and only electric cars and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles could earn an A or A+. They support an alternative that would maintain the current label's focus on the miles per gallon rating.
The stickers have not been updated in three decades and the government wants the labels to reflect new technologies and account for emissions affecting the environment.
Under the letter grade proposal, an average vehicle would receive a B- on fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions.
Copyright 2010 AP News
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As for argument that the technology is not good enough for EV's at present. Yes it would be nice if it was better cheaper etc but you can argue that about any technology in history (the most obvious being computers). We have to make a start at changing and whilst I don't think there is a total techno fix for peak oil/climate changes this does look manageable.More from Marshell Green Power CO., LTD, http://www.marshell.net
These so-called "fuel efficient" SUVs and Trucks must not be so efficient if they are getting C and C+ grades. If consumers learn the truth about fuel efficiency and change their buying habits as a result, that seems like a good thing.
The offended lawmakers should be glad the stickers don't reflect a vehicle's contribution to the $700 billion we spent on foreign oil every year and the resulting economic and national security issues.
Right, biased in favor of vehicles that actually ARE more energy efficient.
Quote:' "biased in favor of certain types of vehicles" and only electric cars and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles could earn an A or A+.'
Well, yeah, they ARE the most fuel-efficient, so they would get the highest grade. Even a grade-schooler could figure that out.
They earn the highest grade by being the most fuel-efficient, so they deserve the high grade. Gas-guzzlers deserve worse than a "D", though, IMO.