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SALT LAKE CITY -- President Obama is unveiling a pricey new standard for all new cars, one aimed at cleaning up the environment and making cars more fuel efficient at the same time.
The president Tuesday announced a national program to cut new vehicle carbon emissions and raise mileage by 30 percent. The goal: to reduce oil needs and pollution, and change Americans' buying habits.
Related:
Obama wants increased fuel efficiency, less smog
President Barack Obama outlined Tuesday the nation's first comprehensive effort to curb vehicle emissions while cutting dependence on imported oil, calling the plan an historic turning point toward a "clean-energy economy."The announcement comes with a catch. Some estimate the added cost to the sticker price of each new car would be on the order of $1,300. But the president estimates the average driver would save $2,800 over the life of his car.
In Salt Lake City, the response so far is overwhelmingly positive. Drivers at the Gateway Mall say $1,300 extra per car is worth the long-term gain. As one driver pointed out about a 30 percent increase in fuel efficiency, "That would be less than a year's worth of gas mileage."
Another driver was less optimistic. "Well, I'd want to pay the extra, in the sense that I want to do better for the environment, but in these financial times, it's going to be a tough sell," he said. But he added, "In the long run, I'd have to support the environment because I don't think we always treat it as well as we should."
All in all, many drivers share that same opinion, that the short term finances will make it harder to buy a car, but the long term gain is well worth the initial cost.
By the numbers, the President hopes this will be the end result:
- 1.8 billion barrels of oil saved over the lifetime of the vehicles sold in the next five years
- $2,800 in gas money saved by a typical driver over the lifetime of a car
- A 900 million ton reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, equal to shutting down 194 coal plants
E-mail: bbruce@ksl.com
