Comments on: Will Fuel Efficient Cars Keep Sprawl Going?

By: Levi

Levi — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:03:01 +0000

I fully believe that the sprawl, as a whole, has come to an abrupt stop. There are videos on youtube of brand new houses being destroyed by the banks who own them. Yes sprawl was partly fueled by cheap/affordable petrol. However, I’d encourage you to take a look at the number of “sprawl” units that were built (or bought) during the final years of the housing bubble; say 02-06. Compare that with the rise in oil/gasoline prices over the same period. I’ll bet there is quite a positive correlation – ie. as gas prices continued to rise, so did our cities continue their sprawl. Add to this the fact that the reality is, unfortunately, we’ve probably decades to go before we have 40+ MPG on average (now is below 20 MPG, including light trucks). The sprawl was more an effect of the housing bubble than cheap oil – at least in the short term. No question that had we had $3+ gasoline from the mid 90s on, it would have changed the situation quite a bit; but I think we’ve hit the tipping point as a nation. The sprawl, on the whole, has stopped.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:07:31 +0000

I read a very interesting article in my research about CAFE and how it has not helped and promoted mediocrity. Light trucks should not be lumped in with fleet vehicles and compacts. There should be standards for each class because the high mileage compacts can offset the gas guzzling V-8 5.0 liter pickups.

By: daniel

daniel — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:45:01 +0000

Fuel-efficiency is only half the story, the other half is the number of miles driven. This is why the total fuel consumption continued to rise even after CAFE standards in the early 1980′s mandated more efficiency. People just drove more.

By: Fuel Efficiency Is Not Enough « Follow the Energy

Fuel Efficiency Is Not Enough « Follow the Energy — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:01:54 +0000

[...] Efficiency Is Not Enough Jeff Tyndall at Pioneer Planning has a good post about fuel efficiency in automobiles. I won’t try to summarize the whole thing, but he [...]

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:32:12 +0000

That’s part of my post, how could a gasoline engine in 1988 go 50+ MPG and only today can the best gas only powered car, a Yaris, go 38?

By: Justin

Justin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:46:08 +0000

I haven’t read the entire post yet, but looking at the numbers you listed. Until 2000, automakers were A-OK with producing vehicles that received 45+mpg without being a hybrid. Why did this suddenly become a requirement?

By: ‘honda civic hybrid’ on the web « lynnepaul

‘honda civic hybrid’ on the web « lynnepaul — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:58:17 +0000

[...] http://www.pioneerplanning.com/?p=335There are seven models in 2009/2010 that get more than 40+ MPG highway; they are the Prius, Civic Hybrid, Insight, Smart, Audi A3 Diesel, VW Golf Diesel, & VW Jetta Diesel. For comparison in 1986 there were … But what is most concerning to me is the steady decline in top end MPG, except for the Honda Insight, which has been steadily declining. Even today’s hybrid Prius’ can’t match the efficiency of the Geo Metro gas only cars of 20 years ago. Where is our technological … [...]