Bush Touts Energy Goals — And Hybrids

Reiterates Goal Of Reducing Gasoline Use By 20 Percent Over Next Decade

(CBS/AP)  President Bush peered under the hood of an all-electric sport utility truck parked at the White House Friday and said his goal of reducing gasoline use by 20 percent over the next decade is realistic.

"I firmly believe that the goal I laid out — that Americans will use 20 percent less gasoline over the next 10 years — is going to be achieved, and here's living proof of how we're going to get there," Mr. Bush said on the South Lawn after examining the truck and a car that had a battery tucked in its trunk.

The president's energy proposals, made in his State of the Union address last month, include ramping up the production of alternative fuels such as ethanol made from new, non-corn feedstocks. The proposal calls on Congress to require the annual use of 35 billion gallons of ethanol and other alternative fuels such as biodiesel by 2017, a fivefold increase over current requirements.

White House aides said the sharp increase in alternative fuels and technological changes, including the use of more gas-electric hybrid cars, will cut projected gasoline demand by 20 percent over the next decade.

"We're going to be driving our cars using all kinds of different fuels other than gasoline, and using batteries that will be able to be recharged in vehicles that don't have to look like golf carts," Mr. Bush said after meeting with business leaders and scientists who believe there is a market for automobiles that use high-tech batteries.

But CBS News correspondent Sandra Hughes reports that hybrids' mileage isn't as good as once thought, although they still get the best mileage on the road.

New Environmental Protection Agency testing shows that actual mileage is lower than what the numbers you see on the sticker. But it's not just hybrids: Under the new standards, every car gets dinged. You can find out your car's true mileage at the Web site www.fueleconomy.gov.

The new tests give the Toyota Prius a rating of 48 miles per gallon in the city, 20 percent less than the 60 mpg it originally had. Highway mileage dropped 12 percent, from 51 miles per gallon to 45.

The Honda Civic hybrid dropped from 49 mpg in the city to 40 and from 51 on the highway to 45.

Analysts say it is not the cars that have changed, but the test itself, which takes now takes into account the way real people drive with air conditioning, sudden stops and starts and faster cruising speeds.

"The old methodology, for example, used a top highway speed of 60 miles per hour and an average highway speed of 48 per hour. Obviously nobody drives that speed," says auto industry analyst Todd Turner.

The White House has called for reforms to the car system, which requires automakers to meet a fleetwide average of 27.5 miles a gallon, to provide more flexibility for automakers and take into account the vehicle's dimensions.

Kevin Curtis, senior vice president of the National Environmental Trust, said if Mr. Bush wants to meet his gasoline savings goal, he needs to include a mandatory, 4 percent annual increase in his fuel economy bill.

"Without that, everything else is just talk," Curtis said. "The best way to increase fuel efficiency is with a clear, enforceable mileage target, not a vague request for regulatory flexibility."

The hybrid car that Mr. Bush inspected had a high-power lithium-ion battery made by A123 Systems of Watertown, Mass. It can power the car for about 40 miles and recharge in five hours. The white truck, made by Phoenix Motorcars Inc. of Ontario, Calif., uses a different kind of high-powered battery made by Altair Nanotechnologies in Reno, Nev. The battery has a range of 130 miles and can be recharged in about 10 minutes with a rapid-charging unit or trickle-charged overnight with its onboard charger.

"It's the same thing you plug your electric dryer into," said Bryon Bliss, vice president of sales with Phoenix Motorcars.

"My wife, she gets out with our kids during the week and I swear she could drive all week on this vehicle on one charge. She goes to the grocery stores, go to the zoo with the kids and such, but she doesn't go that far," he said.

[olebd]

a 20 percent reduction in 10 years is such a weak goal. In ten years, our consumption will more thsn likely surpass it.

[mlganser3]

This report is so misleading! I am confused as to why Sandra Hughes is trying to persuade people away from hybrids, even though "they still get the best mileage on the road". An honest story would include before and after data for a greater array of vehicle classes. To focus your article on hybrids implies that hybrids are not as efficient as other classes. I wonder if this report is meant to cater to Dodge Grand Caravan, a sponsor of the CBS Evening News. Hybrids are in such high demand that Honda doesn't need to spend the advertising dollars.

[vancouverboo]

Would you buy a used car from this man?

[scott4261]

And who's been pimpin' the oil, George? Huh?

[ekdog]

What's the point of electric cars that plug into the mains if we continue to generate electricity with filthy, greenhouse-gas-producing, coal-fired power plants?

"Coal combustion produces carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are suspected to cause climatic warming, and it is a source of sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides, which are harmful to human health and may be largely responsible for acid rain." "Releases from coal combustion contain naturally occurring radioactive materials--mainly, uranium and thorium."

http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/rev26-34/text/colmain.html

If we really want to stop global warming, we must use the only technology that offers a solution: nuclear power.

[johnshaft4]

No one is paying attention to that man (lame duck) behind the curtain anymore...

[darkfyreaol]

20% in 10 years? That is an absolute joke.

We have the technology to reduce it by 85%..NOW.

Certain automakers are toying with electric vehicles that have superior road performance to those that have combustion engines.

GM is one, I hear..As is Tesla Motors, a new company devoted solely to the production of performance electric vehicles (www.teslamotors.com).

[triassic-2009]

Does Bush have credibility on this or any other issue? NO!

[perception5]

Does Bush have credibility on this or any other issue? NO!

Posted by triassic at 02:48 PM : Feb 24, 20

.........it depends if your a contaminated liberal or an American.......I say YES
....certainly the Dems aren't looking at this issue.......they blocked the President's energy plan for 3 years before oil jumped to $80 barrel... just like how the Dems have obstructed and blocked legislation since 2000.......sad .....and their pals in our corrupt liberal MSM wolpack press.....support them and their lies......

[jerr11]

He had six years to do all this!

Bush could've been a great President. I was rooting for him! I saw his work in Texas, I wanted him to succeed, but he squandered every opportunity he had, brought us into the hole we're in and now he's flip-flopped, now he wants energy conservation!

Why now?

This guy would say anything to make himself look good! But like all con men, he would forget it as soon as he said it!

I used to get excited when he talked about the Middle East Roadmap. Instead he turned it into a road to hell in Iraq.

Everything to him is a gimmick! There's not a shred of sincerity in this Texas con man!

[middleman8]

All Bush has to do is bring his military back home and keep his nose out of other countries business and the price of oil would drop and therefor would be no excuse to claim a shortage of oil.

[triassic-2009]

perception5:

"certainly the Dems aren't looking at this issue.......they blocked the President's energy plan for 3 years before oil jumped to $80 barrel... just like how the Dems have obstructed and blocked legislation since 2000."

Dude, what have you been smoking? The neocons have been in control for years. And what was their energy gameplan? Invade Iraq and take over their oil!!

The Dems opposed Bush's original energy plan because it was so bad. The neocons refused to compromise, and therefore ended up with nothing. But it doesn't matter, because that plan would have done nothing to end our reliance on foreign oil.

[michellem99-2009]

I feel that quiet cars pose a danger to us blind persons as they can't be heard. I realise we need to make cars that are earth friendly. Drivers don't always have their minds/eyes where it need be. There are those of us as well who can't hear like we did years ago. In June of 2006 Mr. G W Bush was rude to a blind reporter and that never sat well with me. I do feel we need to be better care takers of the earth. Safety first. As a blind person Ihave read the white cane law. It is on the web.

[pro-america]

Bush doesnt care what you say about oil, gas, or about the troops. Unlike Clinton he is strong, he doesnt need you people to guide him unlike Clinton, he doesnt need the medias friendship unlike Clinton, unlike Clinton Bush is a patriot and I believe what he does is right and I believed what he just he did is right.

[sharncedar]

Does Bush determine our energy policy? What role does he have within the constitution to determine or comment on anything, other than doing his job, which is enforcing the laws of Congress. For example, the immigration laws. Or anti-trust laws against big companies like Walmart. Or fraud laws against his buddies in the big banks.

Bush is an isane and arrogant fool, he thinks he is the emperor or the king of America, as if his pronouncments are law, like this nation are his hispainc servants, at his whim. He has no more right or constitutional authority to create energy policy than any other American citizen. We will have no dictators or kings.

[sharncedar]

"the President's energy plan "

How can the president have an energy plan? What constitution is that, what form of government? What you people are talking about is a rotating dictatorship, it is ILLEGAL FOR BUSH TO LEGISLATE. It is the highest treason for the president to attempt to seize Congressional powers. It is an attemepted coup de etat, an act of open rebellion against the state and the constitution.

Rather than discussing the president's "energy plan" you should be discussing whether we have a cell for this attempted rebel at Gitmo.

There cannot be an "energy plan" of a president, the president has no lawmaking authority.

Why do Americans want a dictator so badly? Is it our recent immigrants? Is it because they don't teach civics in high school anymore?

One man rule is a very bad system of government for large nations, even if you rotate the "man" every 8 years. While the rest of the world gets more democracy, we are getting less. It is our own fault if we let this stuff go by unchallenged. There is no "energy policy" of bush, it is treason for him to attempt to legislate by fiat, please stand up you fools or there will be many more iraqs in our future.

what do you suppose hillary would do with these new dictatorship-type powers? Hide your wallets.

[crater7]

HOW SWEET IT IS!!!
AL GORE, "ROCK STAR", HOW SWEET IS THIS? AL GORE IS UP FOR AN OSCAR, AND MAYBE A NOBEL PRIZE. BUSH IS "ROCK BOTTOM". I WONDER WHAT BUSH WILL BE DOING IN 4 OR 5 YEARS? PROBABLY TRYING TO CONVIENCE SMU TO LET HIM BUILD HIS LIBRARY.

[johnmmctigue]

"Are hybrids fuel efficient?" My god! What an ignorant and asinine thing to say.

Yes, hybrids are more efficient than conventional gas vehicles. Because their electric power platform allows them to take advantage of regenerative braking.

Everyone knows this. Unless you're a complete F-ing idiot, as apparently Sandra Hughes is.

[skyk-2009]

what do you suppose hillary would do with these new dictatorship-type powers? Hide your wallets.
Posted by SharnCedar at 09:32 AM : Feb 25, 2007

Sparky, having someone in office that IS NOT in the pocket of Dead Eye and his pals is a BIG plus for the American People. Then add the OBVIOUS TRUTH that Hillary does NOT scare our friends out of their minds with her INCOMPETENCE and you got a winner.

[skyk-2009]

Everything to him is a gimmick! There's not a shred of sincerity in this Texas con man!
Posted by jerr11 at 06:31 PM : Feb 24, 2007


TRUTH! In the days of George Bush a rare item indeed!

[pro-america]

Crater7: Yeah, name one good thing Clinton or Jimmy Carter is doing or did good when they were president

[pro-america]

I am a patriot and a coservative. And my po9int of view liberals are traitors. People should respect there country above all liberals do not therefore they are traitors.

[knyghtwolf]

pro-america, before you go criticizing "liberals" and their way of thinking, you might just find that those you find fault with have spent a lot of time & money on a good education, including proper text, grammar, and correct verbage use in elucidating and extrapalating conceptual ideas that are based more on factual ideologies based on using sound critical thinking skills. You are a fine example of the ingrained modeling processes that big corporate governments admire and are eager to exploit. To me, conservativism represents narrow-minded people that rely heavily on others doing their thinking for them, and equally as well on structured religious facism. I wish you good luck when the time comes for you to be weighed, measured, and counted.

[pro-america]

SharnCedar: How is he insane. As I said he is a patriot you are not you are a traitor! You are a enemy!

[grumpas]

pro-america: It's nice all of you fascist neo-con's have such a alturistic outlook on who is an American and who is not! The only traitor I see are people like you who asked our military to fight an illegal and immoral war for the nut case George W Bush's lies! Number one he was not elected in 2000 he stole the election so why should I give him any admiration I would normally give the President! If I give it to anyone it will be Al Gore who won the election! He was a gentleman about getting royally screwed, which is more than I can say for our Chief Thief! George W Bush hasn't done one thing in the last 7 years to earn my respect! Until he does forget it! I would imagine this is just another one of his money making scheme's to help his rich cronies out!

[seafyre]

There are low tech solutions available now to help reduce energy use that are overlooked by the press and unknown to the public (the cnadle heater comes to mind www.heatstick.com). I do not think that technology is going to slove the problem that, to a great degree, technology has created. The real issue is global population, there were over 14 million cars sold in China last year to buyers who had never owned a car before, and a multi-million number of new car buyers in Eastern Europe too.

[observantx]

Bush photo opping with a hybrid vehicle. Isn't that just the most bizzarre and hypocritical image you can imagine?

Here is the guy who torpedoed the Kyoto agreement and had his Secretary of the Interior quit over disgust with his gutting of environmental regulations trying to appear concerned about pollution.

Laughable, truly laughable.

[hwk_i67]

Sharn Cedar,

You've obviously been out of touch with reality for some time, so I'll help you out:

Presidents have been outline policy for YEARS!!!! The turns New Deal, Fair Deal, and others don't ring a bell for you? At least Bush is trying to do something other than invade another nation with any plan of going in or coming out afterward. I have no love for the man and look forward to the day God judges him, but have your facts straight at least.