On the Anniversary of BP Oil Disaster, Science Group Urges Oil Savings from Detroit
One year after BP’s Deepwater Horizon explosion caused the worst oil spill in U.S. history, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is sending a clear message. They remind Americans that Detroit holds the key to reducing oil consumption.
“Drilling Detroit not for new oil, but for new solutions saves money at the pump, cleans our air, and cuts oil dependence,” said David Friedman, deputy director of UCS’s Clean Vehicles Program. “Building cleaner, more efficient vehicles creates American jobs without risking coastal communities. The best way to reduce our oil dependence is to make our supplies go further.”
Automakers Deliver More Efficient Options
U.S. automakers are starting to sell cars and trucks that travel farther on every gallon. For example, Chevrolet’s 2011 Cruze Eco is rated at 37 to 42 miles per gallon (mpg) on the highway. Meanwhile, the 2011 Ford Explorer gets 20 percent better fuel economy than its previous model.
Both the Cruze Eco and Explorer use conventional engines. However, Ford also offers a hybrid version of its 2011 MKZ. This model gets 41 mpg in the city, at the same price as the non-hybrid version.
National Goals for Cutting Oil Imports
President Obama recently set a goal to reduce oil imports by one-third by 2025. As part of this plan, the administration is drafting the next round of fuel-efficiency and emissions standards.
These rules could push new cars and light trucks sold in model year 2025 to reach 60 mpg and 143 grams-per-mile of carbon dioxide equivalent. This would mark a major step toward slashing oil use and cutting pollution.
Savings for Drivers and the Environment
UCS analysis shows the strongest standards being considered would deliver big benefits. They would cut oil consumption and global warming emissions. Moreover, drivers could save $7,500 over a vehicle’s lifetime at $3.50 per gallon—a savings equal to one dollar per gallon compared with today’s cars.
These standards could save as much as 270 billion gallons of gasoline through 2030. In 2030 alone, they might save 100 million gallons each day. That figure exceeds U.S. imports from the Persian Gulf and is nearly five times what offshore drilling in restricted areas could produce.
Lessons from the Gulf Disaster
“Last year’s disaster in the Gulf of Mexico reminded us of the high costs of drilling for oil,” said Jim Kliesch, research director for UCS’s Clean Vehicles Program.
He added, “Instead of gambling on offshore exploration, the U.S. should make our oil go further by requiring automakers to build cleaner, more efficient vehicles. When Detroit engineers apply their ingenuity, they can achieve great things.”
