Will Congress Turn Our Trucks Into A Dinosaur?

Did you read in the newspaper last week that I heard on the news that the Federal Government has ordered automakers to increase the minimum gas mileage? / Congress has passed a law that states that gas mileage standards must be 35.5 for cars and trucks.

Now I drive a small truck and that got me thinking. I would love to get that kind of mileage on mine. I drive a Dodge Dakota, you know the little brother of the big Dodge trucks.

Although it’s not a full-size pickup, it has a huge appetite, at least for me. I get fifteen to seventeen miles per gallon.

There are a number of reasons why trucks are not as gas efficient as a car. The first is that they generally have bigger engines, so by default they generally burn more gas. Also, a larger engine is heavier, so it also reduces gas mileage.

The second is increased wind resistance. Today’s cars are much more aerodynamic than trucks, and you also have wind resistance if you have an open box. But even if you have a cover on the truck bed, your gas mileage won’t be the same as a car.

The third is the difference at the rear. No, not the driver, (although that may be a possibility), but trucks are designed not only as a means of transportation; many people use them to pull trailers, boats, caravans, etc. Having a rear end designed for towing reducing fuel efficiency.

The last is that trucks weigh more than cars. Simple dynamics. It takes more energy to move a heavier weight.

Now to focus on normal trucks, like mine, ram, Ford 150, etc.

In 2012, the manufacturer has to make them get twenty-five miles per gallon, but by 2016, they have to get 28.3.

What are they going to have to do to reach that mark?

I think manufacturers will have to do the same things that they are doing to cars.

The problem with that is that we don’t use our trucks like we use cars. Can you see a Prius towing a boat? Or does Corolla have a 16 foot camper? No way.

I don’t think Congress gets it. How can you go against simple physics? It takes a lot of energy to pull these, and to do so, the vehicle must be designed to carry that payload.

When manufacturers get to that point, will they just stop producing these vehicles? Will you have to spend thousands of dollars on modifications to simply transport your boat or jet ski?

This will also mean a reduction in recreational items like caravans, boats, and travel trailers. Will this also affect the people who make the support element, such as skis, life jackets, etc.?

More than 8 million light trucks are manufactured each year. (And I’m not talking about SUVs. That’s a lot of damage this will do to our economy.

Now there are exemptions, like agricultural use, etc. But for us kids left out, they’re ruining our quality of life, aren’t they?

So the only option we will have is that we will NOT buy these abominations made to look like an honest and hardworking truck, and we will have to keep our trucks faithful for much longer than we normally have been.

Of course, that also means we will spend less, so we can focus more on maintenance.

I have other blogs posted that have tips on how to extend the life of your vehicle, and that will be even more important for our trucks. Also check out the other article I made that will show you how to use an HHO generator to increase your fuel efficiency by 20 to 40 percent, and it has the added benefit of reducing the emissions that can fail in your vehicle. Guys, this bill has passed and you need to let Congress know how harmful it can be.