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The U.S. Automobile:
TwentyMiles Per Gallon by
1980
Isn't Good Enough!
By 1980, if a ll goes according to plan.
U.S. automakers will be producing
cars which have a combined fuel con –
sumption rate of20 miles per gallon.
While this upturn is certainly to be
we lcomed, it won't be sufficient to
curb the nation's growing gasoline ap–
petite. By 1991 an estimated 179 mil–
lion cars, trucks. and buses will be
traveling America's highways. Auto–
mobiles a lone will be guzzling down
seven million barreis of petroleum a
day- a projected 32 percent increase
over curren! consumption levels.
And while
new
cars have to average
20 miles per gallon by 1980. the com–
bined mileage figures for a ll cars on
the road <it that time will only be in
the 16 lo 17 miles-per-gallon range.
Cons ider for a moment what could
really be done if the nation were seri–
ous abou t solving the energy crisis. A
fut ure plan of action might go like
ihis:
l.
Phase out all big and midsized
cars by 1982.
20
15
10
5
2500
3000
2. Produce a yearly model mix that
consists of 75 pe rcent subcompacts av–
e raging 40 mpg and 25 percent com–
pacts that have a 30 mile-per-gallon
rating.
3. By 1985 produce the following:
•
50
percent subcompacts using
stratified charge engi nes with average
mileage rating of
45
mpg.
• 25 percent mini commuter cars
(eithe r gasoline or electric) with
equivalen! mileage ratings of
50
mpg.
• 25 percent diesel-powered com–
pact cars that average 35 miles per
ga llon.
lf such a plan were foflowed. bv
1990 the combined mileage of
al/
U.S.
cars would roughly be 37 miles per
gallon and the nation would be con–
suming
fess
gasol ine than it does a t
present. And there are no exotic tech–
nical barriers that havc to be over–
come. Mo to r vehicles already in
cxi stence could satisfy virtually all of
the subcompact. mini. and compact
car requirements outlined above.
WEIGHT (POUNDS)
Graphis based on data taken primarily from 1977 model-year cars. Sales weight
averagmg was used when there were severa! models in a standard size category.
Recent changes would refiect a drop in weight figures for American autos.
12
subcompact class. A four-door
Mercedes-Benz .sedan. for instance
weighs in at a comfortable 3200
pounds and performs adequately
with only 62 horsepower. Peugeot,
~nother
fairly roomy five-passenger
1mport model, also makes this
weight and horsepower break.
Now sorne might object on the
grounds that big cars are safer.
Certainly that is usually the case
whenever a collision occurs. But
have you ever considered the other
side of the automotive coin: that
big cars and vans might pose a
highway threat to economy-minded
drivers of small vehicles? lf every–
one were driving small cars to be–
gin with, this collision risk factor
would be significantly reduced.
And the greater maneuverability of
a small car may tend to make up for
whatever it lacks in extra stee l and
chrome.
Another argument used against
small cars is that the average
American family, including cat, ca–
nary, dog and golf bags, can't fit
into one-especially the 23 percent
of families that have three or more
c.hildren. But this reasoning reftects
the old tail-wagging-the-dog syn–
drome. About 60 percent of auto–
mobile Usage in the United States
is for commuting or family busi–
ness, where the average vehicle oc–
cupancy is
1.6
persons. So
at best
a
car occupied by five or more family
members would only account for a
paltry 9 percent of the total miles
driven. And with curren! popu–
lation trends toward smaller fam–
ilies, this figure should decrease
even further.
Other altematives:
• Utilize the diese! engine to a
greater extent. Dieseis are 40 per–
cent more efficient than compa–
rable gasoline-model engines.
• Use electric commuting cars.
"Homemade" versions that can
travel 55 mph and go 50 to 60
miles on a single charge are already
in operation. On a comparative
cost-per-mile basis, the electric car
turns out to be about half as ex–
pensive as a gasoline-powered sub–
compact.
• Develop lightweight gasoline–
powered commuter cars that can
get 50 to 60 miles per gallon.
Again, a do-it-yourself version
The
PLAIN TRUTH March 1978