Recently, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) set a letter Secretary LaHood and Administrator Jackson concerning the future CAFE standards proposed for 2017-2025. The NAM is concerned that recent proposals are simply unattainable and unrealistic.

Strong standards have already been set for 2012-2016, which raise the fleet average to 35 miles per gallon. While the NAM is supportive of reasonable standards to improve fuel efficiency, setting unrealistic goals will only increase the cost of doing business here, limiting consumer options, costing jobs and increasing vehicle prices.

Moving forward, it is important that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) are pragmatic in their approach, ensuring they are not establishing regulations that require manufactures to speculate what technologies might be available in 2024!

These proposed CAFE standards must be based on current science. It is thought by many that DOT and EPA will propose a standard of 56.5. If this is accurate then clearly these standards will not have been based on science but rather on something else.  It is critical that in proposing new fuel standards, the EPA and DOT make sure that America continues its tradition of a robust manufacturing market for automobiles that help grow our economy and protect jobs.