re: #430 Windupbird

Safety yes, but not pollution. A 2005 diesel Jetta TDI develops pretty fantastic mileage (north of 40 IIRC), and it’s pulling 3200 pounds of weight, seats five confortably, and has no hybrid powertrain. You could EASILY get a 1700 pound car north of 100mpg. Maybe 150mpg.

The safety rules have to change, though. There’s a reason subcompacts and so-called sports-cars weigh what station wagons did in the 80s, and it’s all the heavy and dense safety quipment, sound insulation, interiors, all that stuff. Something has to give, if we want truly efficient cars, we’re going to have to give up some stuff.

Agreed. Though the pollution controls certainly add to the cost and reduce the mileage, they are less of an influence than the safety items. In my view, the safety is worth the extra costs. But we will test my opinion when oil spikes over $150 /bbl again.