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The Best Science Writing Online 2012
Showcasing more than fifty of the most provocative, original, and significant online essays from 2011, The Best Science Writing Online 2012 will change the way...
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[Below is the original script. Some changes may have been made during the recording of this audio podcast.]
Cash for clunkers sounds like a good idea. Give people cash to upgrade their old cars for more efficient vehicles. Beyond helping the environment, it might also help Detroit's bottom line more than bailouts.
But how does it work in practice?
Germany is a good example. They've had a "wreck rebate" as they call it, since February. The government pays more than $3,000 to people who scrap at least nine-year old cars in favor of a newer vehicle—and there's little doubt that today's cars are more fuel efficient than yesteryears. The program could ultimately cost more than $6 billion.
Here’s the problem: in the U.S. we'll be giving as much as $4,500 to people to consign their clunkers to the scrapyard and then replacing them with vehicles that aren't that much better. Sure we’ll save on fuel and greenhouse gas emissions, going from cars that give us less than 18 miles-per-gallon to cars that can do more than 22 miles-per-gallon.
But the production of a new car is a pretty emissions-intensive process. So to make this program environmentally sound, the fuel efficiency bump between the old and new vehicle has to be sufficiently big enough to justify its manufacture. And that's not the case with the program as it stands now. And that means this program's a clunker.
—David Biello
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12 Comments
Add CommentI heard one estimate that stated that the environmental impact of making a new car is equivalent to around ten years running. Logically then we would be better off building cars with longer service lives and maintaining rather than replacing them.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAs I understand it, the Cash for Clunkers legislation declares that old engines and transmissions will be scrapped when the "clunkers" are dismantled. The idea is to remove old technology engines and transmissions from circulation, but it also removes them from the used auto parts market. Is this really the best option for low income people who need to replace the engine in their 20 year old car? Or for auto recyclers who make a large portion of their profit from recycled engines and transmissions? I'm sure everyone would love to replace their old high emissions car, but for many people it is simply not an option. I unfortunately don't think we are ready to force old engines and transmissions out of circulation without hurting the auto recycling industry and the low income automotive consumer.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOld and New EPA MPG Estimates do not allow my three clunkers to qualify for the 18 MPG requirement now proposed for trade-ins. !985 Toyota Truck, !990 Maxima and 1990 Grand Prix. No vehicle holds the original MPG rating for 20 years!! My clunkers DO qualify for the AIRCHECK TEXAS program which requires that the trade-in vehicle be 10 years old and gasoline powered. Again, Texas sets the standard.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisClunker programs are usually proposed by people who have never had to live on a barely subsistance salary and cannot afford a new or even late model car. They (the proposers) are generally lifetime government employees (elected or civil service) who are so disconnected from the economic realities of employment for unskilled labor that they think everyone can afford a new BMW, Lexus, etc. This is elitist legislation. Write your Congressman.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSomewhat difficult to replace my son's real 35+ mpg 1998 Neon with an improvement which gets its mileage in the laboratory and can never be equaled on the road. Needed is a better definition of "cunker."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thiswhat is needed is a system of energy auditing that counts the energy employed in the making ,maintaining and recycling compared to the saving made in energy terms of replacing with a newer car.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe financial system of accounting energy savings falls down due to grants,subsidies, etc. in all parts of the cars history whether direct or indirect.
The criticism for the bill is growing with consumers suggesting changes to the bill that would include low cost car loans instead of a one-time cash voucher for those who can afford a new car. Read latest consumers posts on http://www.cashforclunkersfacts.com
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI agree with you that it's a bad idea. In addition, it will end charity car donation since the voucher would far exceed the tax deduction. All Congress needs to do is go back to allowing people to claim the Blue Book value of their car when they donate it to charity. Then the car dealer makes a sale, the donor gets a great tax deduction and the charity gets some money. Most cars donated to charity are scraped, and thus a gas guzzler is taken off the road.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis bill would put every charity car donation program in the nation out of business since the amount of the voucher would be much greater than the tax deduction. The solution is to simply allow the charity to issue the voucher in lieu of the tax deduction. The charity would then junk the car in accordance with the bill. This way, everyone wins, the car dealer, car maker, car buyer and the charity.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf you don't have your vehicle's manual handy and want to figure out what your vehicle's combined gas mileage is, the government has a free site where you can plug in your year, make and model to get your car's info. It is at: <a href="http://www.fueleconomy.gov">http://www.fueleconomy.gov</a>
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf you want to follow the latest news on the Cash for Clunkers legislation, I found a site that lets you sign up for an alert and also has the latest news info. It is at: <a href="http:/Cash-4-Clunkers.com">Cash For Clunkers</a>
Before going to scrap all usable parts, except for the engine or transmission in whole, can be removed for the used parts market prior to shredding the vehicle. So on a typical car it is possible to remove the power steering pump, alternator, wheels, seats, steering wheel, to name a few parts, prior to shredding.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis isn't going to hurt the charity car market as much as you think. Not everyone with a car destined for the charity car market is going to buy a new car. In fact this may help teh charity
I'm generally not one for government program like this. My comments are not geared towards whether or not this is good or bad government policy.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe idea of the program is to not only improve fuel economy and help the environment, but to also get money flowing into the automotive sector. As for the environment, remember that the typical "clunker" likely burns more oil, leaks petroleum based products, doesn't require emissions check in many states and it probably more polluting than you might imagine.
This is not elitist, not geared towards buying BMW, Lexus, etc. For example, I found a Toyota Yaris 3 door hatchback with auto transmission. My current car qualifies for the $4500 incentive through Toyota. With the cash for clunkers I can get the brand new Yaris for under $10,000. Is that elitist?
Before going to scrap all usable parts, except for the engine or transmission in whole, can be removed for the used parts market prior to shredding the vehicle. So on a typical car it is possible to remove the power steering pump, alternator, wheels, seats, steering wheel, to name a few parts, prior to shredding. This may actually put additional used parts in the used parts pipeline.
This isn't going to hurt the charity car market as much as you think. Not everyone with a car potentially destined for the charity car market is going to buy a new car. In fact this may help the charity car market through the increase of parts in the used parts pipeline. Also, this may be a good thing, because some charities take used cars that have no business being on the road, fixing them and sending them back on the road. I'm not saying all charities do this, but some do. I donated a car for charity and did not get any charitable deduction because the car was no longer fit for the road. I was told the car was being used for parts. Found out the car was fixed and sent back on the road. I know because I forgot to take the old license plates off the car and received some parking tickets in my name.