Why doesn't the U.S. get good FE cars?

[whitevette]

Originally Posted by bbjsw10

But the diesel will not pass our country definition of emissions friendly. Parts per million instead of grams per mile.

[/B]

"Diesel" ...spells particulates ( carbon-based micro-cockleburrs) , "soot", smell, gag.

[Big Dave]

Soot = graphite.

According to the EPA's report to Congress in 2005, nobody living today can remember cleaner air throughout the US.

One would think you could trade on that clean air to allow more efficient engines. But EPA extremists just don't see it that way.

[landscaper52]

It's true, US cars FE pretty much blows...but that is why we are here...to change all that. Whats sadder I feel is how the gas crunch lately has just been an excuse for politicians, and lots of people to just look for cheaper ways to get more gas...more gas...more gas...drill in ANWR, offshore....WTF? Why not just conserve a bit more?

[bbjsw10]

I think alot of the problem just lies in the thinking of people in general, not Hypermilers though. They don't like to be stared at because of a strange looking car, which most really good FE cars seem to be. It takes a big sack to drive a Metro with skirts and body mods just to get better FE, or any aeromods for that matter, other than grille blocks. Like skirts, kammback, pizza pan wheel covers, etc. People have an underlying fear to belong, fit-in. It is driven in to us from early age from the clothes we wear to the way we cut our hair.

Hypermilers do not fit into the norm, we drive slow, put funny objects on our cars, P&G (people used to drive me nuts when they did this in front of me, even if it was not meant as P&G). I just feel the more it starts to appear normal to want FE the more people will want it. Like the guys at work used to laugh at my car whenever I would show up with different pieces stuck on my car, now they accept is as normal. Heck I even have a few car salesman friends that swing by now just to see what I have done and what numbers I am getting. They accept it as normal, or cool to some. I feel that is alot of what needs to happen. Get it out there let it be seen, we need change.

[Indianapolis500]

That be over kill with biodiesel hybrid....