Quote:
Originally Posted by slowmover
Yes. Let's imagine a family with but one vehicle. It may need to carry all of them when the decision is reached to use it. For pickups it becomes even more complicated due to towing and payload capacities...
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In my family this would ultimately guarantee that we would have a large truck to do all the work, where a practical single vehicle would lean more toward a fuel efficient minivan. In my case we have to tow a 9,000lbs tractor about 4 times a year for a 700 mile round trip. A minivan can't do that no matter how it's built and still maintain it's fuel efficiency. So, we have multiple vehicles and basically keep the truck parked next to the tractor for when they are needed.
On another note, to answer the question at hand. My personal view of an extremely fuel efficient vehicle would be one that creates a smaller demand on the environment and leaves a smaller carbon footprint. For example I'm not a fan of battery powered vehicles or hybrids because of the toxins used to create multiple battery replacements over the expected life of the vehicle. In my mind a 40mpg straight gas vehicle has a smaller carbon footprint than it's 50mpg hybrid counterparts; after you factor in everything that it actually uses to get there. At what point do the mpg's outweigh the replacement of toxic batteries and all the waste created to replace those batteries? (not to mention the actual energy source needs to be factored in -ie: nuclear, coal, wind...).
Another way to look at it is diesel engines can create a lower carbon footprint by not only being more fuel efficient but by using less refined fuel. The carbon saved in the refining process should be factored into the carbon savings for a diesel engine.
In conclusion Instead of rating vehicles on mpgs we should be rating them on their overall carbon footprint from the actual origins of each car (imported from x country= +carbon footprint of shipping), how it's manufactured to it's power plant and it's energy source. How that car fairs across a 15-25 year lifespan and the overall carbon footprint it will create in its lifetime. We should look at actual numbers over not just one owner but all owners for the life of each vehicle (15-25 years?). Because that vehicle will continue to hurt or help us after just the initial purchaser has passed it along.
Being short sided is not going to solve any problems we have to look at the whole picture from birth to death and everything in between. How are they manufactured, what carbon footprint will be created in it's wake while in operation, how are they maintained, how will they be recycled?
IMO this title should be changed to "Extremely carbon efficient".