GM CEO wants gas tax to go up $1/gal (WTH?)

[Analog]

This is a big change - a car company that wants gas taxes to go up? Kiss of death for their own Trucks!


_______________


Detroit — General Motors Co. CEO Dan Akerson wants the federal gas tax boosted as much as $1 a gallon to nudge consumers toward more fuel-efficient cars, and he's confident the government will soon shed its remaining 26 percent stake in the once-bankrupt automaker.
"I actually think the government will be out this year — within the next 12 months, hopefully within the next six months," Akerson said in a two-hour interview with The Detroit News last week.
He is grateful for the government's rescue of GM — "I have nothing but good things to say about them" — but Akerson said the time for that relationship to end is coming because it's wearing on GM.
"It's kind of like your in-laws: It was a nice long weekend. We didn't say a week," Akerson said with a laugh.
And while he is eager to say goodbye to the government as a part owner of GM, Akerson would like to see it step up to the challenge of setting a higher gas tax, as part of a comprehensive energy policy.
A government-imposed tax hike, Akerson believes, will prompt more people to buy small cars and do more good for the environment than forcing automakers to comply with higher gas-mileage standards.
"There ought to be a discussion on the cost versus the benefits," he said. "What we are going to do is tax production here, and that will cost us jobs."
For the years 2017-25, federal officials are considering 3 percent to 6 percent annual fuel efficiency increases, or 47 mpg to 62 mpg. That could boost the cost of vehicles by up to $3,500.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110607...on-pushing-for-higher-gas-taxes#ixzz1OadRIB9S


​

 

[Vette73]

It will not be the death of their trucks, their trucks get some of the best milage in full size trucks.

I wish my Nissan truck got the milage a GM truck gets.

Also GM put a lot of money in their small cars and smaller engines, let alone volt. People that NEED a truck will buy it as they need it. Those that need a A to B will skip the trucks and large SUVs and get a car.

 

[TridenT]

Interesting, but I don't have the money to buy a new car that is efficient...

btw, last I checked... new cars aren't earth shatteringly more efficient.

If a 1996 Honda Civic DX gets 40+ mpg while the new Civics maybe get 30-35 on highway... wtf is going on? (2012 one says 28 city, 39 highway... I'm wondering how combined will do) If anything, it's less OR breaking even.

About 15 years to improve and NO IMRPOVEMENTS

 

[Texashiker]

It will not be the death of their trucks, their trucks get some of the best milage in full size trucks.

I have a friend of the family that works for a chevy/gm dealership. A few weeks ago we had a nice talk about car and truck sales.

The friend told me that as the price of gas goes up, people stop buying trucks as a status statement, and car sales were up.

There will always be people that need trucks, and those people will buy trucks.

However, the people that buy trucks just to look cool are stopping that kind of wasteful behavior.

 

[StrangerGuy]

Interesting, but I don't have the money to buy a new car that is efficient...

btw, last I checked... new cars aren't earth shatteringly more efficient.

If a 1996 Honda Civic DX gets 40+ mpg while the new Civics maybe get 30-35 on highway... wtf is going on? (2012 one says 28 city, 39 highway... I'm wondering how combined will do) If anything, it's less OR breaking even.

About 15 years to improve and NO IMRPOVEMENTS

Both may not necessarily be tested with the same set of parameters. Besides new Civics aren't exactly built and marketed as econoboxes like the old ones.

 

[lxskllr]

I'd be for it if the money went where it belongs. As it stands, the cost of fuel is deferred, and we all pay when some environmental disaster happens. They should raise the tax, and put 25% into infrastructure, and 75% into cleanup, then don't fuckin' touch it unless you're gonna use it for the appropriate purpose.

 

[rasczak]

I wonder which pipelines he's invested in.

 

[Genx87]

A CEO of a company that makes an electric car wants gas prices to go up? Unpossible!

 

[StrangerGuy]

A CEO of a company that makes an electric car wants gas prices to go up? Unpossible!

Don't you know corporations are always looking out for us?

 

[Vette73]

Interesting, but I don't have the money to buy a new car that is efficient...

btw, last I checked... new cars aren't earth shatteringly more efficient.

If a 1996 Honda Civic DX gets 40+ mpg while the new Civics maybe get 30-35 on highway... wtf is going on? (2012 one says 28 city, 39 highway... I'm wondering how combined will do) If anything, it's less OR breaking even.

About 15 years to improve and NO IMRPOVEMENTS

Gas milage is rated differant now then it was just 10years ago, you can;t compare 1 to 1 like that.

Also newwer cars are larger and more heavy. Hell a new Corolla is bigger than a 1990 Camry.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

Don't you corporations are always looking out for us?

yes I potato

 

[Lotheron]

I have a friend of the family that works for a chevy/gm dealership. A few weeks ago we had a nice talk about car and truck sales.

The friend told me that as the price of gas goes up, people stop buying trucks as a status statement, and car sales were up.

There will always be people that need trucks, and those people will buy trucks.

However, the people that buy trucks just to look cool are stopping that kind of wasteful behavior.

I seriously hope this becomes the norm soon.

I'm all for trucks for those that need it, farms, commercial, etc. But I cringe everytime I see a land yacht SUV with a kid in a car seat in the back and the person in the driver seat doing everything but driving which appears to be more than just the exception to the rule.

 

[mcmilljb]

It will not be the death of their trucks, their trucks get some of the best milage in full size trucks.

I wish my Nissan truck got the milage a GM truck gets.

Also GM put a lot of money in their small cars and smaller engines, let alone volt. People that NEED a truck will buy it as they need it. Those that need a A to B will skip the trucks and large SUVs and get a car.

You obviously are new to Nissan trucks. The Frontier's V6 has more power and better fuel economy than any V6 at GM. That engine is highly rated, and it was even comparable to the previous standard V8 in GM trucks in power. The problem with the Titan however is that it doesn't have a smaller V8. Not everyone wants or needs a 5.6L V8; that's a beast. It's not going to beat a 4.8L or 5.3L in fuel economy.

 

[TridenT]

Gas milage is rated differant now then it was just 10years ago, you can;t compare 1 to 1 like that.

Also newwer cars are larger and more heavy. Hell a new Corolla is bigger than a 1990 Camry.

I'm comparing actual gas mileage to Honda's stats. A 1996 Honda Civic DX is rated for less, but actually gets 40+ mpg.

 

[Vette73]

You obviously are new to Nissan trucks. The Frontier's V6 has more power and better fuel economy than any V6 at GM. That engine is highly rated, and it was even comparable to the previous standard V8 in GM trucks in power. The problem with the Titan however is that it doesn't have a smaller V8. Not everyone wants or needs a 5.6L V8; that's a beast. It's not going to beat a 4.8L or 5.3L in fuel economy.

The frontier only makes 19 more HP than the 5cyl Colorado but gets 2-3less MPG.

That and I have a Titan and agree a smaller V8 would also work in it just fine. next gen will have a small V8 and maybe a diesel.

 

[sonicdrummer20]

Heres to hoping that this CEO dies from an electrical malfunction in one of his company cars.

 

[CycloWizard]

A CEO of a company that makes an electric car wants government to artificially raise prices to give him a comparative advantage? Unpossible!

Fixed. Unfortunately for him, his advantage is much less than he realizes and this would probably not end well for GM. The US government, as a major stakeholder, has surely surveyed the field and seen this, which is why they have not yet manipulated gas prices in the manner he described. Instead, they continue the hatchet job on competitors' reputations using the press and NHTSB.

 

[Squisher]

Raising tax on gas is the only sensible way to move people away from larger cars and trucks. However, everyone has known this forever, but no one wants to be the one to raise gas prices because it would be political suicide.

The whole concept of Corporate Fuel Economy Standards is so backwards. It is going to remove people's choices when it comes to vehicles and incorporate vast increases in the cost of new vehicles.

Yeah, tell people that you mandated 50 mpg, but don't tell them it cost them an extra $3000 in the cost of the vehicle in complicated new technologies and exotic materials.

 

[LTC8K6]

They want to continue leasing Volts and collecting the tax credits?

Maybe dealers want to continue selling Volts to other dealers and collecting the tax credits?

http://nlpc.org/stories/2011/04/25/taxpayer-rip-dealerships-taking-chevy-volt-tax-credit

http://nlpc.org/stories/2011/05/31/gm-admits-dealerships-are-taking-chevy-volt-tax-credits

 

[dullard]

Raising tax on gas is the only sensible way to move people away from larger cars and trucks. However, everyone has known this forever, but no one wants to be the one to raise gas prices because it would be political suicide.

The whole concept of Corporate Fuel Economy Standards is so backwards. It is going to remove people's choices when it comes to vehicles and incorporate vast increases in the cost of new vehicles.

Yeah, tell people that you mandated 50 mpg, but don't tell them it cost them an extra $3000 in the cost of the vehicle in complicated new technologies and exotic materials.

Raising gas taxes is a great thing to do for the long term, but yes, no one wants to do it short term. I'd say we need to do the same type of tax on electricity. Then give the tax proceeds back 100% to the consumers. That is, it doesn't cost the average person more money, just the heavy energy users pay more and the low energy users actually pay less.

You have to look at the long term yourself if politicians won't. At today's gas prices, and assuming normal use (12000 miles per year) and lifespan of a vehicle (15 years), a 25 mpg vehicle will consume $27,000 in gas while a 50 mpg vehicle will consume $13,500 in gas. A $3000 extra cost you mention is miniscule compared to those savings.

Sucks for those people who constantly buy new cars and sell them at big losses (they will have to front much of that $3000). But for the rest of us, that is a huge, huge cost savings.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Hey it might actually fill some of that massive hole you call a deficit...

Now if only the UK didn't have a massive deficit and massive fuel taxes...

 

[CPA]

Interesting, but I don't have the money to buy a new car that is efficient...

btw, last I checked... new cars aren't earth shatteringly more efficient.

If a 1996 Honda Civic DX gets 40+ mpg while the new Civics maybe get 30-35 on highway... wtf is going on? (2012 one says 28 city, 39 highway... I'm wondering how combined will do) If anything, it's less OR breaking even.

About 15 years to improve and NO IMRPOVEMENTS

My Civic Hybrid gets 31mpg, even though it was promoted and advertised to get 42.

 

[CPA]

I seriously hope this becomes the norm soon.

I'm all for trucks for those that need it, farms, commercial, etc. But I cringe everytime I see a land yacht SUV with a kid in a car seat in the back and the person in the driver seat doing everything but driving which appears to be more than just the exception to the rule.

Here we go again, people who think they know what is good for us. Please, please tell me what I need.

 

[Vette73]

My Civic Hybrid gets 31mpg, even though it was promoted and advertised to get 42.

Yea thats hondas fault for screwing that up. Most hybrids get their rated milage and some more so.

 

[AMDZen]

Interesting, but I don't have the money to buy a new car that is efficient...

btw, last I checked... new cars aren't earth shatteringly more efficient.

If a 1996 Honda Civic DX gets 40+ mpg while the new Civics maybe get 30-35 on highway... wtf is going on? (2012 one says 28 city, 39 highway... I'm wondering how combined will do) If anything, it's less OR breaking even.

About 15 years to improve and NO IMRPOVEMENTS

I can't believe I'm agreeing with TridenT, thats a first

Gas milage is rated differant now then it was just 10years ago, you can;t compare 1 to 1 like that.

Also newwer cars are larger and more heavy. Hell a new Corolla is bigger than a 1990 Camry.

Yes you can. Although you're correct in that its different the way they're rated, all you have to do is take real world numbers and compare them. As someone who has owned both several 90's Honda's as well as several recent ones, I can assure you they used to be quite a bit more efficient.

I don't care how the government rates them or changes the numbers around. If I drive a 1996 Honda Civic and a 2006 Honda Civic, identical models, and in an identical way, I will get better gas mileage with the older vehicle, even if I drove them both yesterday.