Captain Hybrid - 54.5 MPG Comes With Trade-Offs

SINGAPORE NEWS

The White House's goal of a 54.5 mile-per-gallon average fuel economy could inspire innovation, but it could also lead to safety and costs trade-offs, one industry expert warned last week. "Putting the 54.5-mpg target out there is good," said Sandy Munro, CEO of Munro & Associates Inc., a consultant doing cost studies on the subject for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "Engineers always need a challenge. But the question is, what are you willing to give up to get there?" In an interview with Design News, Munro cited a multitude of ways to boost America's corporate average fuel economy (CAFÉ). Big ticket items include hybrid vehicles and pure electric cars, but Munro told us lawmakers and auto manufacturers are talking about many other possibilities, too. Those include lightweight materials, such as carbon fibers, magnesium, and titanium. Also under consideration ...

Full article: http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1366&doc_...