Tuesday, February 17, 2009

SAVING THE PLANET BY SAVING THE US CAR INDUSTRY.

HOW FRANCE HAS BEEN DOING IT.

Right now the replacement rate for cars in the USA is 23.9 years!How does one get that crucial industry restarted?

The trick used by France for the auto industry has been to make vehicles that emit less and less CO2. Meanwhile the European Union imposes lower and lower ceilings on CO2 emissions from cars (they are around 160 grams per kilometers right now before penalties on car makers, France is pushing for 125 grams and even lower soon; cars produced in France at or below 125 grams make more than 40% of the world production). Then the French government gives financial incentives for buying the clean cars (while punishing the dirty cars). The end result is a state of the art, non dead car industry. And, ultimately the planet profits (there is more than one billion cars).

The USA should copy that model. It is a good planetary solution, because it creates ever more efficient technologies. Two billion cars are expected soon, and if they don't become really clean, "the planet will explode" as Goshn, the CEO of Renault-Nissan puts it. It is good for the developed world because it then can trade with emerging countries something they do not have, and that they want.

Patrice Ayme
Patriceayme.wordpress.com


For reference: the average CO2 emission per car in the USA is 330 grams per kilometer (twice the present European limit).

PA

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