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WASHINGTON/DETROIT (Reuters)-carmakers have decided to produce by quarter of a century more fuel-efficient cars and trucks that take advantage of new designs and technology, but still rely on gasoline engines.
A project that was announced Friday by President Barack Obama would Boost fuel economy requirements 53 percent by 2025. This goal is unlikely, as some suppose, to request a dramatic ramping up production of electric vehicles and hybrids, which are only a fraction of sales on the US market.
"Automakers will meet the standards by improving the technology on the road today," said Brendan Bell program at the Union of Concerned Scientists clean vehicles.
Bell, automakers and other experts say industry will accelerate the development of cleaner burning gas engines, advanced transmission systems, lighter materials-as the strongest steel and alloys--and more aerodynamic design.
These changes are already underway, as is a shift towards the production of small cars to meet consumer demand and new mandates of Government in an age of high gas prices.
In particular, U.S. carmakers, led by Ford Motor Co., have been working feverishly to make these changes after long are on gas guzzling trucks, SUVs and minivans. Big trucks, including full-size pickup, will have the hardest time of new objectives.
"The three Detroit have finally and truly fuel discovered and is a real attention to them," BorgWarner Inc. Chief Executive Tim Truncheon said analysts.
Blackjack, whose company makes turbochargers and other engine technologies, noted that achieving better fuel economy, is undoubtedly a cost exceeding automakers.
The background for an announcement of Obama in Washington Convention Center included a General Motors Co. Chevrolet Cruze, a 4-cylinder compact car that is the resurgent automaker's best-selling U.S.. Was not present for most GM Volt electric sedan, a new GM production promotes to Washington to draw attention to its efforts on saving fuel.
Obama is particularly interested in producing more electric cars and in the development of improved battery technologies as part of an initiative green jobs and the attempt to reduce oil consumption.
Environmentalists warn of potential loopholes that would deform the new fuel standard program away from the fleet as efficient as possible. But overall, the industry has made good faith efforts to date to focus on fuel economy improvements.
The emphasis was not to steal from many of the features you want U.S. motorists in their cars and sell them, such as engine performance, smooth handling, cargo space, and extras such as motorist assist services and systems that enable the compatibility of the phone and GPS.
The strategy is built around a series of advances, some of which can be described as "low-hanging fruit," that offer incremental earnings alone but in total can be game-changers.
"You're eating that elephant a bite at a time," said Vince Muniga, a spokeswoman for Chrysler product.
GM Cruze and Volt 4 cylinders, and Ford Motor Co has Ecoboost technology--a combination of fuel injection and turbocharger aimed at giving smaller gasoline engines more power and higher efficiency. The popular F-150 pickup with Ecoboost had rolled into the Convention Center on Friday for Obama event.
Automakers and suppliers are also investing hundreds of millions of dollars in transmissions made more efficient with additional gears that lowering the RPM to increase the productivity of the engine.
Chrysler, which is run by Fiat of Italy, is using this technology in future editions of the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger.
Jake Fisher, a senior engineer with the Division of Consumer Reports auto test, said there are more high-strength steel and other metals and materials that are lighter but offer good stability and protection from accidents-although they may be more expensive.
Aluminium, which is very expensive to build great cars, can find its way into suspension systems and other components to reduce weight. Less clear is the role of composite materials such as carbon-fiber materials, which are used in aircraft and other industries.
Overseas automakers, like Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co., will continue with hybrids of signature. Ford has also pushed forward with its production of hybrids. European automakers such as Volkswagen AG wants to push the cleanest diesel in the u.s. market.
Boston Consulting Group estimated in June plug-in hybrids and other electric cars may make the 5 percent or less of sales in the United States by 2020. The prediction is tied to oil price increases and improvements in engines that are at a lower cost.
(Additional reporting by Ayesha Rascoe and Emily Stephenson; Editing by Maureen Bavdek)
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