(SIOUX CITY, IA) President Obama announced Tuesday his plan for a new fuel efficiency standard.
The plan would standardize all cars to nearly 55 miles per gallon by 2025, saving the average family money at the pump and helping the U.S. break free from our dependency on foreign oil.
It seems like everyone we spoke with thinks it's a step in the right direction, but they wonder if it will actually happen. The Chevrolet dealership in town says car companies are already making dramatic strides in the production of fuel efficient vehicles.
Saving 1.7 trillion dollars at the pump, reducing the consumption of 12 billion barrels of U.S. foreign oil and increasing fuel efficiency to 55 miles per gallon by the year 2025.
It sounds like a lofty goal, but the Obama administration says, it's the new standard.
"Do I think it's feasible? Yea absolutely, I think anything's feasible, I think that the United States is capable of doing anything that is put in front of it," said Ben Knoepfler, of Knoepfler Chevrolet.
And He says the decision to buy a fuel efficient car directly correlates to the price of gas, if it's high, consumers want a small, fuel efficient car. If it's low, consumers tend to go for more space.
But he says, right now, one of the top trends is gas mileage.
"If your going to own a car for five years, you really have to look over the next five years, will the gas mileage that I'm getting now still be suitable in the future? So, people look for better gas mileage because they know its going to have to carry them for a number of years," he said.
And Car companies are already starting to get eco-friendly. The Chevy volt here, runs solely on electricity for up to 35 miles.
And Ben says if that's the new standard, he's on board.
"If it's mandated by the government, it'll be up to the factory to make sure that happens and then it's up to us to make sure we sell the product," Ben said.
But that's the thing, according to the Huffington post, it's not a mandate, it's just a "standard."
Phyllis Conner supports the idea, but hopes this goal is being set for the right reasons, not for political gain.
"I think we have to move carefully because if were spending billions of dollars on alternative energy and its not producing anything, I think we have to have a realistic look at it. And I don't really have the answer; I hope somebody has the answer and that we move forward in a logical way," she said.
If this new fuel efficiency standard is reached, the Obama Administration says by 2025, it would show consumer savings comparable to lowering the price of gasoline to 1 dollar a gallon.
Reporter, Heather Leigh, can be reached at Hleigh@kmeg.com or on facebook at www.facebook.com/heatherleighkmeg
