White House Proposes 2-For-1 CAFE Credits for Zero Emissions Vehicles

Automaker Alliance Jumps On Board, EV-Makers Could Reap Huge Benefits Let the horse-trading begin. The Obama Administration, seeking to boost development of all-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric cars, is suggesting that automakers be given CAFE credits that would let low and zero-emission vehicles count for up to two cars when annual fleet fuel efficiency averages are calculated. That standard would mean that an automaker seeking to meet the 35.5 MPG fleet average required by 2016 could use a single battery-electric car rated at, say, 100 miles per gasoline-gallon equivalent, to offset seven 12 MPG pickups and SUVs, as the average fuel economy of the eight vehicles – with the ZEV's rating doubled – would be 35.5 miles per gallon. ———- Green

Tagged as: CAFE, Emissions, fuel-economy, PHEVs, Plug-ins and Electric, Tax Incentives