Former Secretary Norm Mineta Responds to The Administration's CAFE Standards Announcement

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Secretary Norman Mineta, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, issued the following statement in response to the Administration's announcement of its CAFE standards requiring cars and light trucks to achieve a combined 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025:

"I applaud the Administration for today's announcement. This aggressive fuel economy target is exactly what the country needs to lower our dependence on foreign oil and reduce harmful emissions.  It also helps pave the way for new environmentally responsible, higher mileage vehicles resulting in energy independence for all Americans.

"To meet these ambitious goals a number of advanced technologies will contribute to enhancing the efficiency of our vehicles and most of the improvement will not come from hybrids or electric vehicles – but instead will come from dramatic improvements in today's internal combustion engines.

"It is critical that we do not pick and choose a specific technology or technologies to help accomplish our fuel economy goals.  While hybrids and electric vehicles have a place, the real breakthrough will be realized in advances to the internal combustion engine including turbocharging, start-stop, weight reduction and improved aerodynamics, which are already having an effect on the fuel economy and performance of the downsized gasoline and diesel vehicles coming to market today.

"I encourage the Administration and Congress to remain technology neutral as they consider ways to move forward with these ambitious fuel standards."

On Monday, November 7, 2011 the U.S. Coalition for Advanced Diesel Cars released a White Paper authored by former U.S. Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta, titled The Case for Technology Neutral Public Policy in Fuel Economy Debate: Allowing Performance To Determine Solutions.  Click here to view the paper.