Back in 2011 (July 29, 2011), President Obama announced an agreement with car manufacturers* and the automotive industry union* to increase gas mileage requirements for new vehicles sold in 2025 to 54.5 mpg. This is a fleet wide average requirement for all cars and light trucks sold in that year. This average is the mean mpg value of all models sold by the major automotive manufacturers** who together are responsible for 90% of light vehicle sales.

Because it’s the average of all models, there is a built in flexibility where some vehicles can attain less than the 54.5 mpg while others attain more. To further enhance this flexibility, the target mpg is tied to vehicle size, so that larger cars and light trucks requirements can be lower.

Keep that in mind while you read the Fox News spin on an old but new story.

“The recommendations call for ‘fleet wide’ gas mileage of 54.4 miles a gallon by 2025 — essentially the average gas mileage for cars, trucks, vans and all other vehicles in a model year.”†

Of course there is no obvious, glaring lie in the article, but the implication is clear, especially given that most people do not pay attention to how averages work and are likely to assume the 54.5 mpg is required of all models. The spin put in the article also implies that all vehicles made in that year are subject to the standards, including all commercial vehicles, which by definition are not light duty trucks***.

No Fox News fear mongering would be complete without a few bogeymen thrown at the readers, so Fox makes sure they highlight the EPA, every Fox sycophant’s favourite environmentalist conspiracy, as the source for the standards.

“The Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration submitted their proposed 2017-2025 fuel-efficiency recommendations in mid-July to the administration’s Office of Management and Budget.”†

Because the standards were recommended by the EPA, they can be rejected out of hand as Warmist propaganda.

Interestingly, Fox actually mentions part of the benefit of increased fuel economy for consumers, but frames it along with a speculated increase in cost for new vehicles and conveniently forgets to do the math.

“If approved, the changes are projected to save average American motorists roughly $8,200 at the pump over the life of their vehicles, but would also cost them as much as $3,000 more for a new vehicle.” †

A big ‘say what’ moment comes up right after Fox tells us that the standards will save the average new car buyer $8200.00 over the life of the vehicle. Even if the cost is $3000.00 higher for a new car, speculation at best, the savings is still $5200.00.

“One major concern is whether buyers will be able to get a loan, which critics of the proposal say would hurt Detroit automakers, including Chrysler and General Motors, who needed billions in taxpayer-funded bailouts during the recession to stave off bankruptcy.”†

You read that one right. The buyers will not be able to get a loan, so they won’t be able to buy the car. Suddenly Fox is concerned with the 99%? Give me a break. Loan companies are there to make money, the larger the loan, the larger the profit. People without the means do not buy new cars. That’s a fact now and it will be a fact in the future.

For a publication that continually tells us the climate isn’t changing but if it is, future technology will fix everything, they sure ignored the potential for cost savings of future technology.

What all this comes down to, is that the Oil industry does not want higher fuel economy, or the recognition that emissions matter, because it will cut into their fuel sales and thereby reduce profits. Either they put pressure ($) on Fox to spin the hell out of this story, or Fox is hoping for payback from the Oil industry for blowing smoke up your keister.

_{*”auto manufacturers, the State of California, the United Auto Workers (UAW), national environmental organizations, and other stakeholders.”}

**”Ford, GM, Chrysler, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar/Land Rover, economy, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota and Volvo”

***”Light truck or light duty truck is a U.S. classification for trucks or truck-based vehicles with a payload capacity of less than 4,000 pounds (1,815 kg).”

†Read more: foxnews.com