At Mike's / Daily energy blogging (2): On CAFE / Moving to the Davis Square
The great nations have always acted like gangsters, and the small nations like prostitutes. Stanley Kubrick
David Leonhardt argues in today's NYT, that a customer buying a hybrid car allows the manufacturer sell more large cars without violating the CAFE-standard. Not good. Much better would be to establish an increasing carbon tax on fuels, as I wrote earlier.
In Boston Globe, a senator and a congressman (Barack Obama and Jay Inslee) argue for the government's financial help for GM and Ford in return of increased R&D in fuel efficient cars. I think they are wrong: what the government should do is to change the rules of the game so that innovation in fuel economy (or even using existing) technology would make sense even in the stubborn brains of GM's executives.
As I wrote yesterday, the purpose of this series of blog entries is to clarify my thinking and to force me to check out facts and figures. Nothing more, nothing less.
Alun perin julkaistu kuukausikoosteessa "Blogs January to February 2006".
At Mike's
Kumar got the first version of his thesis turned in. A reason for celebration, that is. We (Kumar, Ashok, and I) took off for the Davis Square and the Mike's diner. I was there also yesterday (Monday), but it was only today that I realized that sell 1 liter of house wine for $10. What a bargain. Their pizzas are very good!Daily energy blogging (2): On CAFE
The Corporate Average Fuel Economy-standard regulates the fuel economy of cars manufactured or sold in USA. Basically it says, that the average (of the whole fleet of a manufacturer) fuel consumption must not exceed a certain value. At the moment, the value is 27.5 mpg (8.5 l/100 km) for cars and 20.7 mpg (11.4 l/100km) for pick-up trucks, SUVs etc with gross weight less than 8500 lbs (3 856 kg). CAFE does not apply to large vehicles. If the fleet of a manufacturer exceeds the CAFE-standard, the manufactures has to be a fine of $5 for each 0.1 mpg for each vehicle it has manufactured. For more information on CAFE:- CAFE at Office of Aerospace and Automotive Industries' Automotive Team. CAFE at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has good explanations, statistics, studies, etc. For example, 2005 car fleet statistics are quite interesting. Weight has been going up, power is going up, and CAFE-values have been stagnant for a while now.
- Fuel economy website has information on fuel economy.
David Leonhardt argues in today's NYT, that a customer buying a hybrid car allows the manufacturer sell more large cars without violating the CAFE-standard. Not good. Much better would be to establish an increasing carbon tax on fuels, as I wrote earlier.
In Boston Globe, a senator and a congressman (Barack Obama and Jay Inslee) argue for the government's financial help for GM and Ford in return of increased R&D in fuel efficient cars. I think they are wrong: what the government should do is to change the rules of the game so that innovation in fuel economy (or even using existing) technology would make sense even in the stubborn brains of GM's executives.
As I wrote yesterday, the purpose of this series of blog entries is to clarify my thinking and to force me to check out facts and figures. Nothing more, nothing less.
Moving to the Davis Square
If I ever come back to complete my PhD in MIT, I would like to move to the (vicinity) of the Davis Square. It is a nice place and has everything a civilized man needs: a good bookstore, some nice cafes, an Italian diner, a movie theater, and a T-stop. Rents should be lower there than in Back Bay. Now I am wondering whether any of you, my dear readers, know a rental agency or any other way of finding a nice and reasonably priced one- or two-bedroon home there?Alun perin julkaistu kuukausikoosteessa "Blogs January to February 2006".
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