Focus Should Be On Fuel Efficiency, Not Hybrids And Alternative Fuels

Not all hybrids are fuel efficient. Six out of fourteen 2007 hybrid vehicles got less than thirty miles per gallon. I am not mentioning this to deter anyone from buying a hybrid. Hybrid vehicles are usually far more fuel efficient than their non-hybrid equivalents and it would be great if everyone could drive a Toyota Prius. However, I can’t help but believe that, by emphasizing hybrids, we have missed the point on fuel efficiency, especially when a large number of Americans cannot afford to spend over $20,000 on a car.

Regarding alternative fuel vehicles, they undeniably reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our dependency on foreign oil. However, I can’t help but believe we should be striving to use more fuel efficient vehicles regardless of what kind of fuel we are using. For starters, there is question of what other pollution alternative fuel vehicles might be emitting and what affect that might have on our health and the environment. Then there is the question of how much energy it takes to produce alternative fuels and what affect using our farmland to grow them will have on the worlds food supply. Again, I am certainly not against using them. I use the gasoline with ethanol when I go to the pump. However, I have trouble accepting alternative fuels as an alternative to more fuel efficient vehicles.

Instead of offering tax incentives for hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles, I think the government should offer progressive tax incentives for purchasing new vehicles that get more than thirty miles per gallon (i.e.: $100 tax deduction for every mpg over thirty) and increase taxes on purchases of new vehicles that get less than twenty miles per gallon (i.e.: $100 tax on every mpg under twenty), with exemptions for farmers and small businesses. I feel that this is the best way to immediately reward fuel efficiency and discourage our over consumption of oil. We cannot afford to wait for automobile manufacturers to discover and start manufacturing super efficient vehicles. We should award people for purchasing the more fuel efficient vehicles that are available now. Of course, the best fuel efficiency of all is riding the bus, riding a bike or walking. However, if you are going to drive, you will be doing both your pocket book and the world a favor by driving a fuel efficient vehicle.