Fuel Efficiency Debate . . . Safety over Economy?

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CHARITY G

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I'm not sure if I saw this on the Science Channel or another network . . . last year a major car manufacturer held a contest to see who could invent and build a working prototype of a fuel efficient vehicle with minimum 50 miles per gallon city traffic. To be eligible, the car had to run on standard gas (partially), get 50 miles per gallon in city traffic, and actually be functional for the typical city dweller (could be used to get groceries, drop off children, run basic errands . . .)

The winner produced a car capable of 70 miles per gallon in city traffic without utilizing electricity . . . he simply shelled out a compact car . . . removed all unnecessary options . . . and put in light weight plastic seating . . .he said that it was foolish to think that the U.S. needed to reinvent energy when the U.S. could solve the problem immediately by having safety standards readdresses and retooled to take physical weight into account . . So do you agree . . . any additional thoughts?
 
Safety first, obviously removing weight from a vehicle will make it go faster, but if that's the only way to achieve better fuel economy, and it makes the vehicle less safe, then it is not a solution.

We don't want to be driving go-karts on the highway just to save on gas.

This year they're doing the contest to see who can get a vehicle with 100 mpg, even in a city. Most people are modding hybrids, like the Prius.

Another way to improve fuel economy, instead of decreasing weight, re-tune the engine to make better use of fuel, sacrificing acceleration.
 
'Undersized' men have a psychological need to drive street-legal tanks.

Show some compassion.

.
 
OK, drive a plastic milk jug at 65MPH along side 18-wheelers. Yeah, go for it.
 
I agree that this is a key issue and that we need to reduce our use of petrol (or gas as you say in the US) .But why are you committed to fossil fuels? We can get around without adding quite so heavily to our environmental footprint.. The question is why aren't we developing alternative fuels. Have you seen the film 'Who killed the Electric Car'
 
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