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November 18, 2003

This is Just Sad

China Set to Act on Fuel Economy; Tougher Standards Than in U.S.

The Chinese government is preparing to impose minimum fuel economy standards on new cars for the first time, and the rules will be significantly more stringent than those in the United States, according to Chinese experts involved in drafting them.

And this actually has implications for undermining US auto companies since they may not measure up:

Some popular vehicles now built in China by Western automakers, including the Chevrolet Blazer, do not measure up to the standards the government has drafted, and may have to be modified to get better gas mileage before the first phase of the new rules becomes effective in July 2005.

Here China is dealing with its energy needs in a real way, while the US Congress is passing an "energy bill" which is nothing more than a load of corporate welfare, with almost no serious measures to encourage lowering energy consumption.

Just a pathetic highlighting of the bankruptcy of GOP energy policies. And one that will probably help doom US auto companies as they find they can't market their cars anywhere else in the world where real energy standards will soon govern them.

Posted by Nathan at November 18, 2003 08:29 AM