How to Solve Our Energy Issues—Fast

Instead of forcing automakers to improve fuel economy, a better way to save gas would be to lower speed limits and encourage telecommuting

by Ed Wallace

Wouldn't it be great if Congress really could legislate the U.S. out of its current energy problems? When you listen to the recent political debates, raising the fuel efficiency for new vehicles by some far-off future date sounds like a more-than-reasonable idea, provided you aren't in the car business. But the fact is that any proposed legislation of this kind can do absolutely nothing to solve our current or near-term oil problems. Even legislated help, if it were to become effective this week, would do little to help today's working-class Americans deal with the now three-year rise in the price of gasoline at all.

That reality seems to have been overlooked both by those debating (and lobbying) about raising the fuel efficiency of our vehicles to 35 mpg (more or less) and by those reporting it. Say this idea was to become law, and the start date for the improved mileage set at 2020: It would still take another 13 or 14 years after that before these new high-mpg vehicles completely replaced the nation's fleet of motor vehicles. That would mean that any legislation for improved fuel efficiency, if it passed today, could not fulfill its potential to reduce the nation's fuel requirements until at least 2035—or somewhere around the time many experts are predicting that "peak oil" will become a reality.

(For the life of me I can't figure out why General Motors (GM), Ford (F), Toyota (TM), and other automakers are fighting this legislation. Right around the time it would take effect, it probably would be wise not to be selling automobiles whose only propulsion unit is a gasoline-powered V-8.)

Now, imagine if you will that Congress could pass legislation tomorrow that would immediately raise the fuel efficiency of every vehicle on the road in the U.S. by 4.6 mpg and end the current high energy costs in somewhere around seven working days.

Assuming the average of 15,000 miles driven per year, and assuming that this new and magical law gave a vehicle 25 miles to the gallon instead of its current 21, each driver would save 125 gallons of gasoline annually, or 2.4 gallons of gas per week, per car. But it's not magic. In fact, it's simple: Roll back the speed limits on our nation's highways.

Step One: Back off the Gas Pedal and No One Gets Hurt

It's past time. We've been complaining about the price of oil and gasoline for three years now, and come up with no real answer. It's only pointing out the obvious to say that in major U.S. cities and on highways nationwide, one is either stuck in traffic and going nowhere fast—a surefire way to get the lowest possible fuel efficiency from one's vehicle—or traveling at 75 mph in the fast lane, with four people flashing their bright lights in your rearview mirrors, signaling "move over" so they can pass. This too ruins any modern vehicle's fuel efficiency.

The modern movement to super-fast highway speeds is a direct reflection of how much our automobiles have improved over the past decade. Quieter interiors, better suspensions, anti-lock brakes and electronic stability platforms have all contributed to a new Autobahn-like atmosphere on our highways. They give a driver the sensation of traveling much slower than he or she actually is; and that, plus the ability to brake smoothly and safely from a high rate of speed, combine to give one the feeling of absolute security.

That's why, when the 55 mph speed limit was raised 12 years ago, suddenly we found ourselves not content with the improved 65 mph speed limits, but started pushing it up past 75 and 80 on a regular basis. But in test after test, I've found that driving at 60 mph, in contrast to keeping up with the traffic by going 75 to 80 mph, easily improves mileage by anywhere from 4 to 6 mpg.