The American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation are discussing a new metric to add onto passenger cars for reflecting energy use and fuel economy on the highway.
From what I have read, the EPA wants to implement a grading system of A,B,C. Only electric cars and hybrids would get a rating of A-, A, and A+. The trouble is, there is much more to selecting the right car than just fuel economy.
Many people look beyond fuel economy to questions like, how safe is the vehicle? How well will you survive a crash if you are in a small car versus a large car? Those who have spent a lot of time researching the purported energy savings of small cars should do as much research on accidents involving them and a larger vehicle.
Is getting 10 to 15 more miles per gallon worth it compared to severe paralysis or death from an accident? There needs to be a more comprehensive view on the evaluation criteria in selecting a car.
Rating system: It's as easy as A, B, C, D
The EPA can save a lot of money and just adopt this for a safety rating which would make a lot more sense than their fuel efficiency rating. Based on a 35 MPH or a 45 MPH crash, a car/SUV would be rated like this:
A = All right - you will probably walk away
B = Bruises and bumps, maybe a broken limb
C = Cuts, contusions, severe concussions, and probably a cervical collar for that whiplash you will get
D = Death possible, paralysis probable, the odds are against you
F = Fatal fatality - any accident and you're a statistic. Finished
This approach gives the potential buyer a better read on the structural soundness on the vehicle and the reality of survivability in a crash. To me, this would be a much more meaningful metric to invest some time and effort into.
It’s time to deal with the facts and be politically accurate, not politically correct.
Some people look down on others driving a car or truck that gets low gas mileage and say they should go out and buy a new electric car or hybrid that gets 40-50 miles per gallon. If they were really concerned about the environment, they themselves would have gone out and bought an existing car that has already been built. The reality is that there is more energy spent on building a car than there is on fueling it for its lifetime.
Therefore, buying a three-year old Cadillac, Mercedes or Lexus is being more energy conscious (and Green) than buying that new hybrid or mini-electric car that we know will not do well in any real accident.
The fallacy of trying to be green
Check out the crash ratings on small cars before you buy off on that "A" rating for gas mileage. An A-rated car for gas mileage might be a D-rated car on my metric of safety.
Is a 1997 Bentley that gets about 12-13 miles per gallon on the highway a better “green buy” than a new hybrid or electric car that gets 50 miles per gallon? The answer is yes. And, just think of an accident where you are in a hybrid or an electric car that looks like a golf cart with doors compared to that 6,200 pound Bentley. I know which one I would want to be in.
If you saw a chart like this, would you still be thinking of saving some gas?
CARLINI-ISM: Gas mileage cannot be the ultimate factor when buying a car, especially if you intend on driving it.
Email the writer:
j.carlini@alrroya.com
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