[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Not only are Americans driving more, but they are choosing more gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs than the agencies setting the standards expected. As a result, the net real-world benefits of the government's standards have fallen below projections, and the gap is growing.

It's not just due to the agency-set standards ignoring the average Joe who doesn't care about their theories. The most reasonable way to eventually increase the demand for efficiency in newer vehicles would be through tax benefits. Much like everywhere else in the world does, usually setting tax bands based either in the engine displacement, power, alternate fuels capability or emissions certification. But if the alternate fuels approach is chosen, the fuel availability on a nationwide basis must not be neglected otherwise it's going to fail.

"The fact that you're seeing changes in the fleet re-emphasizes the need to push forward with the strongest standards as we look to achieve oil reduction and climate goals," said Dave Cooke, a senior vehicles analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Instead of just pushing for stricter standards at a faster pace, there is always some low-hanging fruit to pick at the first steps. It does surprise me that so many Americans "hate" start-stop systems without any reasonable motivation to do so, while it could lead to considerable savings on money. But it's better for them to get used to it, as in the next 10 years it's likely to become mainstream. And then, maybe the BAS-Hybrid would be the nearly-obvious subsequent improvement to be applied into newer cars. Carbon-based capacitors overcome most of the issues surrounding the chemical composition of the electrolytes in the traction batteries of a full-hybrid while still being suitable to the quite fast cycles of charging and discharging from a combination of regenerative braking and the BAS-Hybrid setup.

Behind the gap is Americans' appetite for bigger cars. The bigger the car, the less emissions saved. That's because the standards are tailored to each vehicle's "footprint" and require larger yearly improvements in cars than in trucks and SUVs.

It might be more due to the unrealistic standards. Or would anybody really think it's reasonable to classify a soccer-mom SUV and a minivan as "light trucks" to keep them comfortably into higher emission standards?

Naturally aspirated engines, which propelled Mazda Motor Corp. to become one of the most fuel- efficient automakers last year, have also been a surprise, as detailed in an International Council on Clean Transportation report last week.

It was somewhat surprising to me that naturally-aspirated engines could still retain their share in the "environmental-friendly" side of the automotive market while the turbocharged, downsized engines become so highlighted, but it actually makes some sense when we take a look at the full-hybrids.
workaround ideas to discuss among friends: Why did turbocharging and direct injection not become so widespread in the hybrid cars?

Turbocharging, among other technologies, can still yield fuel economy improvements, especially when combined with a "mild hybrid" system, said John German, the author of that report and a technical expert at ICCT.

What I like the most about turbocharged engines is their lower sensitivity to oxygen starvation at higher altitudes, in spite of the turbo-lag that is manageable but still roughly impossible to get rid of.