Government Fail: EPA’s Green Letter Grades for Vehicles
Nicolas Loris /
Both the Bush and Obama Administrations implemented tougher fuel efficiency standards for vehicles with the message that more stringent regulations will reduce carbon dioxide and save consumers money because they’ll be purchasing less gas. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently announced fleet-wide requirements of 34.1 miles per gallon in 2016 for all automakers in the U.S.
Now, are the agencies trying to guilt you into buying a hybrid? The Wall Street Journal reports:
The government proposed labeling each new passenger vehicle with a letter grade from A to D based on its fuel efficiency and emissions, part of a broader effort by the Obama administration to promote electric cars and other advanced-technology vehicles.
Currently, the labels must show how many miles per gallon a car gets and its estimated annual fuel cost. Under the proposed changes, a new label design would carry a large letter grade assigned by regulators.