Goodbye, Gas Guzzlers? – Washington Post editorial analyses the keys to succesful implementation of US’ Cash for Clunkers” initiative

April 15, 2009 at 12:42 am

(Source: Washington Post

Without higher gas taxes, ‘cash for clunkers’ won’t do the job 

CAR SALES in Germany jumped an astonishing 40 percent in March, thanks in large part to a “cash for clunkers” program in which the government gave those handing over old-model cars roughly $5,000 toward the purchase of newer, more fuel-efficient vehicles. Lawmakers in the United States have crafted similar proposals, hoping both to provide a boost to the U.S. auto industry and to spur sales of environmentally friendlier cars. But even the best of these proposals is not likely to provide the punch of the German initiative.

A bill co-sponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) offers the most sensible approach. Buyers are eligible for vouchers worth $2,500 to $4,500 toward the purchase of a new car if they turn in older vehicles that get less than 18 miles to the gallon. The older vehicles would be junked and turned into scrap. The new car must have a sticker price of less than $45,000 and surpass fuel economy standards by 25 percent. Buyers may also apply the vouchers to fuel-efficient used cars manufactured after 2003. Vouchers could also be used for participating in public transportation programs. A similar proposal in the House provides credits only for vehicles made or assembled in North America; such a provision is problematic because it could violate free-trade agreements.

But would even a perfectly crafted program trigger the kind of spending spree witnessed in Germany? Unlikely, largely because of simple economics and human nature. In 1999, the German government began to gradually impose an additional tax on each gallon of gas beyond the existing tax; today, the additional tax stands at 50 cents, and high gas prices push consumers toward fuel-efficient cars or public transportation even without additional incentives. Yet the Germans did not stop there. The country announced at the start of this year that it would implement in July a new tax based on carbon dioxide emissions; the larger the car and the greater its emissions, the higher the tax. No wonder, then, that Germans flocked to take advantage of the cash-for-clunkers deal before driving becomes even more expensive.

Click here to read the entire article (free regn. required).  

Note:  Below is a list of articles on this issue, previously published on TransportGooru.  This compilation of articles offer an insight into state of various “Cash for Clunkers” style programs implemented (or currently being debated) across the globe (Germany, UK, etc,). Stay plugged in to TransportGooru for more on this topic in the days to come.

 Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) Act revives “Cash for Clunkers” scrapping plan in U.S

Germany plans to extend Abwrackprämie aka “Environmental Bonus”

The bickering starts over the implementation of the Cash for Clunkers legislation

Obama Favors “Cash for Clunkers”

Germany increases subsidy to 5 Billion Euros, tripling incentives for its “Cash for Clunker” (Abwrackprämie) program

Britain mulls implementation of “Cash for Clunkers” scheme to boost ailing auto sales 

Where the US stands in pushing “Cash for Clunkers”- Four bills in Congress; Details Needed

Where the US stands in pushing “Cash for Clunkers”- Four bills in Congress; Details Needed

April 13, 2009 at 4:09 pm

(Source: Tree Hugger)

Congress to Buy Old Cars.jpg

There are currently four bills in Congress focused on stimulating car sales by allowing people to trade an old car for a new one. There’s been lots of buzz, but not so many details. That’s starting to change as people such as Rep. Betty Sutton goes on the offensive for her own proposal .

There are currently four different proposals in Congress to stimulate stimulate car sales by way of incentives from the government to buy older, less fuel-efficient vehicles. Three are from the House of Representatives and one from the Senate . Already the topic has lit up the blogosphere with buzz about the opportunity for people to get $3,000.00 to $5,000.00 for exchanging that junker for a shiny, new automobile.Rep. Betty Sutton was on CNBC’s Squawk on the Street today talking about her version of the bill. With an official title of “To accelerate motor fuel savings nationwide and provide incentives to registered owners of high polluting automobiles to replace such automobiles with new fuel efficient and less polluting automobiles or public transportation” it’s easy to see why few details are in the media as of yet. The bill’s short title as introduced is Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act of 2009. Anchors Mark Haines and Erin Burnett posted questions about how the proposal may work.

Leader in the Pack 
Rep. Sutton’s Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) Act would give consumers incentives of $3,000 to $5,000 for turning in vehicles that are 8 years or older to buy more fuel-efficient vehicles or to obtain a transit voucher. She says that support is growing every day. The bill has gathered 21 co-sponsors so far, up from 19 a couple of weeks ago. The bill is still working out the metric of how cars would need to be traded in and what fuel efficiency would need to be for the new car. Sen. Dianne Feinstein has a similar proposal (with a short title of Accelerated Retirement of Inefficient Vehicles Act of 2009) that would mandate that the new car be 25% aboveCAFE standards . There has not been anything mentioned about how many cars one person or family can switch for the credit. Also, some states already have incentives for buying cleaner cars, so will individuals be able to get both state and federal credits? If so, in places like Texas , a person could get a combined total of as much as $8,500.00 for a new car.

Click here to read the entire article.  Here is the CNBC video of  the Cash for Clunkers featuring industry experts Dave McCurdy, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and John Wolkonowicz, IHS Global Insight.

 Note:  Below is a list of articles published on TransportGooru, offering insight into state of various “Cash for Clunkers” style programs implemented (or currently being debated) across the globe (Germany, UK, etc,).

 

Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) Act revives “Cash for Clunkers” scrapping plan in U.S

Germany plans to extend Abwrackprämie aka “Environmental Bonus”

The bickering starts over the implementation of the Cash for Clunkers legislation

Obama Favors “Cash for Clunkers”

Germany increases subsidy to 5 Billion Euros, tripling incentives for its “Cash for Clunker” (Abwrackprämie) program

Britain mulls implementation of “Cash for Clunkers” scheme to boost ailing auto sales

Britain mulls implementation of “Cash for Clunkers” scheme to boost ailing auto sales

April 13, 2009 at 3:23 pm

(Source: Spiegel Online via Business  Week)

To boost ailing carmakers, the British government is expected to offer customers a premium to exchange clunkers for new vehicles—as Germany has doneClick here to find out more!

The paper writes that Darling and officials in the Treasury have been impressed by the results the programs have delivered in other countries. Last month, Britain experienced a 30 percent drop in new car registrations at a time when Germany recorded 40 percent more vehicle sales than during the same period a year earlier. In Germany, Treasury officials noted, the precipitous drop in auto sales has been reversed.

The Times reported that details are still being hashed out between the Economics Ministry and the Treasury in London, but that the plan will look a lot like Germany’s. According to the paper, a £2,000 (€2,200) scrapping premium is to be given on trade-ins of any car over nine years old.

In contrast to Germany, though, Darling and Economics Minister Peter Mandelson are also seeking industry participation in the program. At the very least, they want a binding commitment that existing rebates will not be dropped because of the government program. So far though, the paper reports, the British automobile industry is resisting the government’s push for it to support the program with its own means.

In addition to Germany, a number of European countries including Austria, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain also have stimulus programs in place for carmakers suffering from thecredit crunch and global financial crisis—and the success of these stimulus efforts has been measurable. China and Brazil have also succeeded in increasing car sales again.

“A scrapping scheme will provide the incentive needed and the evidence is clear that schemes already implemented across Europe do work to increase demand,” Britain’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) chief executive Paul Everitt told the Times. “The UK is the only major European market not to implement a scheme.” SMMT estimates the one-year program would cost about £160 million.

Last week, the United States also said it would adopt the successful European recipe. During a dramatic speech to the auto industry, US President Barack Obama praised the scrapping premiums as exemplary and “successful” and pledged to introduce a similar program in the US. But the program could be a lot more expensive for the United States than Britain: Already, an estimated 250 million cars and trucks are driven in America. Of those, close to 30 percent are at least 15 years old, meaning the country could have as many as 75 million candidates for scrapping.

In Germany, demand has been so strong that the government plans to extend its scrapping bonus through the end of the year. Last week, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet moved to extend the scheme until Dec. 31 and to provide €5 billion in government funding—enough to cover up to 2 million cars.

Click here to read more.   Transportgooru has already published a number of articles on this topic in earlier months.  Please feel free to explore them:

Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) Act revives “Cash for Clunkers” scrapping plan in U.S

Germany plans to extend Abwrackprämie aka “Environmental Bonus”

The bickering starts over the implementation of the Cash for Clunkers legislation

Obama Favors “Cash for Clunkers”

Germany increases subsidy to 5 Billion Euros, tripling incentives for its “Cash for Clunker” (Abwrackprämie) program

Germany increases subsidy to 5 Billion Euros, tripling incentives for its “Cash for Clunker” (Abwrackprämie) program

April 8, 2009 at 7:20 pm

(Source: Telegraph, UK) Germany is more than tripling the incentives on offer to buyers of new cars as it attempts to boost its auto industry, which employs around 15pc of the nation’s workforce.

The scheme offers German consumers €2,500 for trading in vehicles more than nine years old if they buy a car that is less than one year old.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition government, which is facing re-election on September 27, agreed proposals that will increase the amount of government funds available for car subsidies to €5bn (£4.5bn) from €1.5bn. 

Ulrich Wilhelm, Mrs Merkel’s spokesman, said the new funding level would cover 2m cars, compared with 600,000 under the previous plan. The scheme has given a vital boost to German car sales, with new registrations in March hitting the highest level since 1992. “This is a massive election gift. Car dealers and buyers will be completely over the moon,” said Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, director of the Centre for Automotive Research at the University of Duisburg-Essen in an interview with Bloomberg.

Click here to read the entire article.  

TransportGooru has compiled several articles in the past reporting on similar efforts in UK (which is now contemplating introduction of  a similar program after watching the Germans successfully implement the program) & USA.  Here are the links to some of the earlier articles:

Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) Act revives “Cash for Clunkers” scrapping plan in U.S

Germany plans to extend Abwrackprämie aka “Environmental Bonus”

The bickering starts over the implementation of the Cash for Clunkers legislation

Obama Favors “Cash for Clunkers”

Obama Favors “Cash for Clunkers”

April 1, 2009 at 7:43 pm

(Source: TreeHugger); Video: YouTube)

 Yesterday President Obama told Chrysler and GM that it is time to shape up or ship out. He also said he supports a program that would pay people to trade in older cars for newer, more fuel efficient vehicles. Europe has successfully tried this, but could it work here and would it be good for the planet? 

Speaking about a so called “cash for clunkers” program, Obama said:

“Such fleet modernization programs, which provide a generous credit to consumers who turn in old, less fuel-efficient cars and purchase cleaner cars, have been successful in boosting auto sales in a number of European countries.”

Here is an analysis from a News portal on what it could mean for consumers.

This is especially true in Germany, where new auto sales are said to have risen 20 percent last month. Of course, Europe has much higher gas prices than we do, increasing the desire to go with a greener car. They are also taxing people for their carbon output, again incentivizing people to get rid of heavier, more inefficient cars and trucks., A gas tax and other complimentary taxes that would bring our prices in line with Europe’s is politically unlikely, so a trade-in program may have some political legs given Congress’s new found attention on the climate. 

Another supporter is Ohio Rep. Betty Sutton, who sponsors the CARS Act, which creates vouchers of between $3,000 and $5,000 for people to trade-up. Given the president’s announcement yesterday, it’s suddenly a viable question to ask if there will be any American cars to buy if a cash for clunkers plan was enacted.

Here are some of the related posts from TransportGooru:

Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) Act revives “Cash for Clunkers” scrapping plan in U.S

Germany plans to extend Abwrackprämie aka “Environmental Bonus” (in plain english, car scrapping program)

The bickering starts over the implementation of the Cash for Clunkers legislation

Security for G20 summit thrown into chaos as London’s £15m CCTV network ordered out of action

March 30, 2009 at 6:10 pm

(Source: Guardian, UK)

Ahead of G20 summit, council told to switch off illegal £15m CCTV network.  While they are primarily for traffic enforcement, according to the council the cameras are “an essential additional tool” to tackle crime and disorder, and have been fixed to strategic locations across the capital ahead of the summit.

The security operation at this week’s G20 summit was thrown into chaos last night when it emerged that the entire network of central London’s wireless CCTV cameras will have to be turned off because of a legal ruling.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has ruled that Westminster council’s mobile road cameras – a third of the authority’s CCTV network – “do not fully meet the resolution standards required” and must be switched off by midnight tomorrow.

The blackout begins on the eve of the summit, when world leaders arrive in the capital and protesters take to the streets.

The council only discovered last week that images from its newly installed £15m traffic cameras do not meet the quality required under the Traffic Management Act, which comes into force on 1 April.

In an urgently drafted letter seen by the Guardian and hand-delivered to the transport secretary, Geoff Hoon, on Friday, the council warns its entire network of wireless cameras will need to be shut down unless the minister finds a way to give special dispensation. “This would have a serious impact on our ability to manage our road network safely, as well as impeding our community protection efforts,” the letter states.

It adds: “We are seeking authorisation from DfT as a matter of urgency to enable Westminster to continue using its digital CCTV network.”

The 60 cameras in question use the latest digital technology and transmit images using Wi-Fi. While they are primarily for traffic enforcement, according to the council the cameras are “an essential additional tool” to tackle crime and disorder, and have been fixed to strategic locations across the capital ahead of the summit.

The 24-hour live footage from the cameras, which monitor roads around the West End, Belgravia, Trafalgar Square, Knightsbridge, Oxford Street and London’s main bridges, is also accessible to police and the intelligence services.

Click here to read more. 

UK’s High Speed 2 Fleshed Out – Rail line could be up and running by 2021

March 30, 2009 at 10:57 am

(Source: The Transport Politic & Telegraph, UK)

With support from Tories and Labour, project construction is virtually guaranteed

uk

The United Kingdom, despite its intense population concentration and relatively straight-shot connection between its biggest cities, has yet to invest in a major high-speed program, unlike its peers in France, Spain, and Germany. Beginning late last year, however, the Conservative Party, under leader David Cameron and shadow Transportation Minister Teresa Villiers, began pressuring the Labour-controlled government to begin planning a high-speed rail link between London and Manchester, via Birmingham, as a replacement for the planned third runway at Heathrow airport. Plans to route the line through the airport to allow easy connections to flights were incorporated into the proposal almost immediately.

Though in January Labour did approve the runway at Heathrow as a way to relieve the significant congestion there, the U.K.’s ruling party has come to see a high-speed rail program as politically advantageous – especially as Mr. Cameron’s party has risen in popularity in recent years. It’s not surprising, then, to see Lord Andrew Adonis, the nation’s Minister of State for Transport, endorsing the line’s approval by early next year, before the next general election. With support from both major parties, the line is unlikely to face major opposition – and will likely get government funding as soon as its route has been finalized.

The map above illustrates the general consensus on the routing of the full route (in red). Running northwest from London, the line would hit Birmingham and then Manchester, before heading north to Leeds, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. A spur line from Manchester to Liverpool is likely, and, if conservatives and engineering company Arup get their way, the line would be routed through Heathrow Airport before extending north. Planning on the service has begun by a company called High Speed 2; the name is a reference to High Speed 1, the company that completed the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in 2007 (in black on the map above). High Speed 1 carries Eurostar trains from London to Paris and Brussels in 2h15 and 1h50, respectively, down 40 minutes from pre-construction travel times.

Click here to read the entire Transport Politic article.