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Why Do They Hate FreedomCar?

Posted by Clark Williams-Derry

12/07/2007 02:10 PM

France supercharges vehicle efficiency.

France is supercharging vehicle efficiency -- not by doling out big R & D subsidies for cars that never make it to market, but by instituting a system of efficiency feebates.

In a nutshell -- the French ministry of ecology has announced a program that would require purchasers of new gas guzzlers (luxury Mercedes, for example) to pay an extra fee for the privilege. And that money is rebated to people who buy super-efficient cars. If it's done right, the system doesn't really involve taxpayers, since the rebates balance out the fees. And it gives huge incentives for sales of the most gas-miserly vehicles.

Voila -- instant fuel efficiency!

(Hat tip to Green Car Congress.)

Sprawl & Transportation

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Comments

Posted by frankbruno 12/07/2007 05:50 PM

Bonus political angle (b/c I'm always thinking about the politics of these things) -- the rebates would allow American automakers to actually turn a profit selling small cars. This has been a big reason why they've lobbied against higher fuel standards.

Posted by Christine 12/08/2007 11:51 AM

I can't figure out what "FreedomCar" has to do with this post.

Posted by Clark Williams-Derry 12/12/2007 09:32 AM

Sorry, Christine.

FreedomCar is the name of the US hydrogen car program -- a collaboration between the govt. and private companies to develop an emissions-free car. But at this point -- despite years of research and huge R subsidies -- it's still automotive vaporware.

Of course, programs like FreedomCar (and before it, the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles, which focused on hybrids) are cited as reasons why we didn't need CAFE standards. We don't need regulation, we'll just innovate our way to higher fuel efficiency! But in the meantime, since 1992 fuel economy has stagnated, and US auto companies have let Honda & Toyota take the drivers seat in selling hybrid tech. (US automakers, I believe, license their hybrid engine designs from Japanese firms.)

So much for R subsidies. The truth is, though, that we know very well how to make cost effective, fuel efficient vehicles -- all we need is an incentive structure to get them on the roads!

Posted by Gunner 02/05/2008 12:46 PM

I am glad I do not worry about fuel prices, I make my own diesel fuel for 45 cents per gallon, from a company called www.biofuelbasics.com I think the Europeans are way ahead of us in alternative fuels and all we think about is a ways for our vehicles to get better milege. Why not think about cheaper alternatives.