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Audi Executive Claims U.S. Government Has Fallen in Love with Electric Vehicles
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Audi’s top U.S. executive has warned that the government has “fallen in love” with the idea of electric vehicles, despite the fact that it could take two decades before these vehicles are in widespread use. Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen reiterated his beliefs, during his National Press Club speech, that electric vehicles are not a financially viable option without government support.
“The 50 percent or so price increase that the Volt represents over a similar gasoline car cannot be offset through the savings from reduced fuel compensation,” de Nysschen said. “The only way to offset the extreme premium is through taxpayer-funded subsidies.”
De Nysschen favors using diesel technology and allowing the marketplace to pick the winners and losers. Barack Obama, on the other hand, is an enthusiastic backer of electric vehicles, awarding $2.4 billion in cash grants towards improvements on electrical vehicles. Obama would like to see 1 million electric vehicles on the roads by 2015.
De Nysschen has noted that if one-third of the U.S. vehicles were powered by diesel, America could save 1.5 billion barrels of oil per day. Ironically, this is the same amount the U.S. imports from Saudi Arabia on a daily basis.
De Nysschen argues that in a world where driving is at danger as a result of attempts to reduce carbon emissions, diesel fueled vehicles can be a big player in reducing emissions and fuel usage.
Last week, the EPA declared tailpipe emissions as a threat to public health, making way for new tougher limits on emissions during the 2012 model year. The stricter rules can reportedly reduce 950 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions (equivalent to taking 42 million cars off the road), conserving 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of vehicles produced between 2012 and 2016.
Source: The Detroit News
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