How gas efficient do we need to be?

There’s been an interesting meme circulating the internets lately regarding the notion of how fuel efficient our cars need to be, i.e. “Do we all need to go out and buy hybrids?” So the question goes like this – what is the best thing to do to save the most gas, replace a 35mpg car with a 50 mpg car; or replace a 18mpg SUV with a 28mpg car? The answer is here, and here. All started by a paper published in Science by two people from Duke’s Fuqua School. So, for a policy implication, it may be better for American carmakers to focus on improving SUV gas mileage by modest amounts than try to convince all Americans to drive small hybrids.

Related, Megan McArdle considers whether buying a Prius is better than buying a used Corolla. I’m really digging the fact that people are talking about fuel efficiency, even if it took $4 a gallon gas to make the conversation happen.

~ by ashok on July 9, 2008.