Technology neutrality is the right approach for enhanced fuel economy

{mosads}We must learn from our past.

Our government’s greatest contributions can be traced to leaders mobilizing the expertise of the private and public sector with a vision for the future rather than a pre-defined scheme to achieve those goals. Today’s leaders are not necessarily technology experts, so a path of technology neutrality is still our best option to achieving many of our most important policy goals.

In the last three decades, emissions from passenger cars have decreased by 95 percent under a regulatory framework with increasingly strict performance-based limits. By allowing consumers and the automotive industry to develop the combination of technologies needed to lower emissions allows the collective expertise of the industry to participate in the solution.

The Administration has set ambitious fuel economy targets that I believe will usher in a new era of environmentally responsible, higher mileage vehicles. However, the accompanying rhetoric emanating from policymakers and echoed within the media has assumed a much too narrow solution in focusing only on alternative fuel and electric vehicles and ignoring existing viable technologies which can play a significant role in achieving our goals.

Policymakers need to adhere to the rule of technology neutrality. Pre-selecting a single technology runs the considerable risk of missing more advanced, available and efficient solutions, not to mention ignoring marketplace acceptance which can ultimately prove an expensive proposition for both the consumer and the government.

Given the considerable budget pressures on the government and the consumer in today’s economy, can we really justify providing a $7,500 taxpayer-funded subsidy for a $41,000 electric vehicle? This is in addition to federal subsidies provided to manufacturers involved in the development and production of alternative fuel and electric vehicles. It’s a huge expenditure for a single technology which is currently unproven in mass production. Also, embracing a single solution could simply transfer our existing dependence on foreign oil to other natural resources held in other parts of the world.

Today’s advanced technology, gasoline and diesel engines are nearly as energy efficient as any technology available and I believe increasing the adoption of these clean engine technologies is the best way to meet CAFE standards. The numbers are telling: Downsizing gasoline engines by substituting with smaller turbocharged engines can improve fuel economy up to 20 percent, without sacrificing performance. Downsized clean diesel engines are even better with up to 40 percent more fuel efficiency than a comparable engine. Engine downsizing, turbocharging and diesel engines are already gaining traction in the U.S. and are already proven strategies in other parts of the world. The best part is the cost to develop and improve these engines is far less than alternative fuels and electric vehicles.

If the government stays technology neutral while setting performance standards and allows industry and the market to find optimal solutions, we will achieve a sustainable outcome. In this way, I have no doubt we will meet and exceed our new ambitious fuel-economy goals.

Mineta is Global Vice Chairman at Hill and Knowlton Strategies and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation