Fuel Economy

The government on Wednesday proposed setting fuel economy requirements for 1988 and 1989 model light trucks at levels that are equal to or more restrictive than mileage standards for the current model year and 1987. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposed setting mileage requirements for auto makers' 1988 light truck fleets at a level between 20.5 miles per gallon and 22 m.p.g. For 1989 trucks, it proposed that the mileage standard be somewhere between 20.5 m.p.g. and 22.5 m.

Three consumer groups, four big cities and the state of California filed petitions in federal court Thursday challenging the government's recent decision to relax fuel economy requirements for 1986 model cars. The petitioners, who filed four separate challenges with the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, claim reducing the fleetwide mileage standards for 1986 passenger cars will increase automobile-related air pollution and gasoline consumption.

The owner of a Honda Civic hybrid won an unusual Small Claims Court lawsuit Wednesday against the auto giant that some legal experts believe could change strategies for both Small Claims Court and class-action litigation. A Los Angeles County court commissioner ruled that American Honda Motor Co. negligently misled Civic owner Heather Peters when it claimed the hybrid could achieve as much as 50 miles per gallon. Court Commissioner Douglas Carnahan, who mailed his 26-page decision to Peters and Honda, awarded her $9,867.19 in damages.

Stephen L. Johnson, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said he planned to propose new regulations for testing vehicle fuel economy by the end of this year and wanted the tests in place by the 2008 model year. The update would be the first major change to the EPA's fuel economy tests since 1985. The EPA tests vehicles to get the estimated city and highway fuel economy that is displayed on window stickers.

"Government Should Steer Clear of the Fuel Economy Issue" (Commentary, March 1) relies on an outdated argument to suggest that much-needed new fuel economy standards will cost lives. In fact, the Kerry-Hollings fuel economy provisions now before the Senate will save lives, fuel and emissions. William Niskanen and Peter Van Doren base their conclusions about safety on a study using data from 1993, before air bags were standard equipment and before SUVs took over our roadways, endangering other drivers.

The National Academy of Sciences says it may have overestimated the fuel savings possible if auto makers were to change how they design vehicles. In an unusual move, the academy will hold a public hearing Oct. 5 to consider changing its July report on the nation's fuel-economy standards. The report is at the center of the debate over whether the government should force auto makers to make vehicles that go farther on a gallon of gas, which would reduce emissions and dependence on foreign oil.

Re "Government Should Steer Clear of the Fuel Economy Issue," Commentary, March 1: William N. Niskanen and Peter Van Doren would have us believe that increasing fuel economy increases our dependence on imported oil. By that logic, all we need to do to decrease our dependence on oil is to waste as much fuel as possible! Then they whine about how corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards imposed on auto makers will increase the price of low-gas-mileage vehicles. I say, great! Why should I subsidize the gas hog who gets 10 miles to the gallon?

General Motors wants the government to retroactively roll back fuel mileage standards for 1984 and 1985, letting the No. 1 auto maker avoid about $400 million in fines, Automotive News said Tuesday. The weekly trade publication said GM has petitioned the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration to roll back the corporate average fuel economy standards to 26 miles per gallon for those years. GM also asked the NHTSA to set the 1987 and 1988 standards at 26 mpg, the same as for 1986.

Responding to urgent promptings from leading Democrats in Michigan and other Midwestern states, presidential nominee Bill Clinton has somewhat softened his advocacy of proposed new laws to mandate higher fuel economy standards for cars. While he still supports a 40-mile-per-gallon goal, Clinton said Saturday that one possible approach "may be having separate goals for different sized cars," a move that some environmentalists say could open a potentially troubling loophole in the proposed law.