Maybe............................

UPDATED: 6/21/07 8:15 p.m.
Automotive news




WASHINGTON -- Automakers and their allies suffered a stunning defeat in the U.S. Senate tonight.

Without public debate and without a roll call vote, the Senate adopted an amendment to require cars and trucks to meet a combined fuel economy average of 35 mpg by 2020 -- a 40 percent increase from today’s vehicles.

A milder alternative, for which the industry had fought hard, did not even come up for a vote.

“It is a very special day,” said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., in declaring victory. A longtime advocate of tougher standards, Feinstein has long called for closing what she calls the “SUV loophole,” which allows many passenger-carrying vehicles to qualify for weaker truck standards.

She and other proponents of far tougher standards tried to satisfy concerns of senators from Michigan during extensive negotiations, but in the end they could not find common ground, Feinstein said in Senate floor remarks tonight.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., had led an effort to win approval for an amendment calling for standards of 36 mpg for cars by 2022 and 30 mpg for trucks by 2025.

Dan Becker, director of the global warming program at the Sierra Club and a longtime lobbyist for tougher standards, said he suspects Levin didn’t bring his measure up because it would have found little support.

Still the speed with which momentum grew against the industry is noteworthy. The tide began to turn when Democrats won control of Congress last November. Concerns about global warming, oil imports and gasoline prices were all factors.

The industry unleashed its formidable lobbying forces this week, with manufacturing executives, dealers and others meeting face-to-face with lawmakers across Capitol Hill , but to little avail.

The provisions adopted tonight were labeled a “compromise” by some, but they offered little consolation to the industry. Regulators could void the 35 mpg standard in 2020 if there is “clear and convincing evidence” that it is not cost-effective, Feinstein said.

Feinstein did offer to work with Michigan senators on other legislation to provide assistance to the industry in meeting the tougher standards.

The focus on fuel economy will next turn to the House of Representatives, but proponents there of far tougher standards will be emboldened by the Senate action.

Also, the broader Senate energy bill containing the newly revised fuel economy provisions still has some hurdles.

Action on the broader measure was expected to continue into Friday.

Earlier today, the Senate blocked expanded tax breaks for producers of alternative fuels and new tax credits for owners of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

The benefits were part of a $29 billion tax package that Senate Democratic leaders wanted to attach to the comprehensive energy. The setback for the tax provisions was blamed on Republicans who opposed a provision that called for higher taxes on oil companies.

The $700 million in tax credits for plug-in hybrids would have gone both to people who convert existing gasoline-electric hybrids to plug-in capability and to those who buy new vehicles, such as General Motors’ planned Chevrolet Volt.

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Please Click for Sarah's Wish

Here's the key statement in this article, My guess is there will be some kind of amendment at the least for trucks in the future.

Also the odds that the Democrats will still be in control of the house by then is probably pretty slim!

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Well, hopefully they're only imposing this limit on gasoline and diesel powered cars. The US is famous for allowing industry loopholes in all of it's "tight legislation" - to even suggest 35MPG is a hard target to reach is absolute BS. What they should be doing is imposing limits for each fuel type. It's very simple to convert a gasoline engine over to hydrogen or other alternatives. They should be saying.. 35MPG for gas, 2MPG for hydrogen. That would easily lay out the roadmap for manufacturers and push them into building the infrastructure for alternative fuels.

One of my arguments for buying the tundra, as opposed to a diesel based GM product.. was that it could be converted to hydrogen in the future

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CrewMAX 5.7 SR5
Surrey, BC Canada

LINE-X Bed Liner, Tekonsha Prodigy Brake Controller, ScanGauge II

Geddes Family Homestay - Hosting international students in Vancouver, Surrey

2020? 2020? Who gives a rat's a$$? By then, I'll be so old, all I'll care about is how to handle my walker or if my Depends are ridin' low! LOL!

Or god forbid a Depends Wedgie...lol!

Yuk!

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07 Tundra DC 4x4, Radiant Red, debadged, Bed Mat, Brushed stainless steel step boards, Auto Dimming Rear View Mirror, Heated Towing Mirrors, 18” Alloy Wheels, Cold Kit, Mud Flaps, Tow Package, Rear Sliding Window, All Weather Floor Mats, TomTom 920T

Well, if you are running low on Depends, you'd like to know how fast someone can drive to get you more. So you might want to know if they are driving a slow little 4 banger or a fast V8. After all, every second counts when you need more Depends. You don't want to spend all day waiting on the porcelain.

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2007 SR5 Crewmax 5.7L 4x4
Mods: nerf bars, Truxedo tonneau, radar detector power, fog lights, black billet grille, rear differential breather, parking sensors, Line-X, power tailgate lock, hood safety latch mod, one off driving lights behind grille, Pioneer NAV w/ OEM camera, Flowmaster 50 SUV dual/dual, blue LED dash lights, Volant CAI
All mod descriptions and pictures © 2007,2008 by Toxarch. They may be copied only for personal use and the mods may be done for non-profit only.

The usual buttheads with their heads in an orifice of their won choosing. Absolutly no concept of the real world.

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Extang Trifecta, Prodigy brake controller

Ride fast, shoot straight!

FYI - anything here in Quebec if over 4 liter in engine size pays a gas tax premium and it increases in expodential rate..
Sine i have the 5.7 i payed a premium when getting my plates...so i doubt V8 are gone -- just luxury will come at a cost...BTW -- Quebec is the highest country taxed in North America...

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2007 CrewMax 5.7 TRD
lineX bedliner
Diamondback bed

I was so moved by that article that I decided "why wait for 2020" and that's why I bought a truck with a Lil Ole 6 banger........................A Lil Ole 6 banger producing 350 horsepower and 650 lb.-ft. of torque

Remember folks we all have to do our part! Come on Toyota where's your lil Ole 6 banger?