What Obama's win could mean for the auto industry over the next 4 years
 

Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet, Chrysler, GM, UAW/Unions

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The 2012 Presidential election is in the books and those in swing states must be looking forward to the absence of countless campaign ads. However, those with their eyes on electric vehicles and reduced emissions from automobiles may be looking forward to what the President's second term in office has in store.

So what of the future of the auto industry? Perhaps the initiative with the most immediate impact is the continued pursuit of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard of 54.5 miles per gallon for cars by 2025. Some dealers have voiced displeasure with the added price of making these vehicles more fuel efficient. Additionally, a new challenge is ensuring those standards are actually met and automakers are reporting fuel economy numbers properly - a reality recently experienced by Kia and Hyundai. Still automakers in general approve of having clear standards to which they can refer.

The President's re-election should see the returned attention to electric vehicles as well. This year, Obama proposed an increase in the tax credit for electric vehicles, from $7,500 up to $10,000, in the pursuit of 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2015.

Another area where regulation will be pushed is in vehicle safety, where the Obama administration will seek to require all new vehicles to have a backup camera by 2014. Other regulations may be pursued in the area of navigation and advanced digital displays, and the safety impact of this rapidly progressing technology. With no reelection to concern him, Obama will likely double down on efforts to see through these initiatives in fuel economy and electric vehicles.What Obama's win could mean for the auto industry over the next 4 years originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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Obama!

With taxes and spending by the government going up, nobody will have money left over to buy these "wonderful" new fuel efficient cars but they will be desperately trying to get "four more years" out of their old ones. Buy stock in companies selling parts for old cars.

So who is moving to Canada?

He's already done so much for the American car industry, I can only see things improving from here.

...all at tax payers expense.

Pardon my skepticism but it will be a cold day in hell before I buy an electric car. Every single rechargeable battery powered device I have ever owned (radios, vacuum, screwdriver, toothbrush, razor, camera, computer etc., etc., etc.) has, without exception FAILED after a few years. Most of those devices got pitched when the battery went, some got replacement batteries if they were worth the expense. The idea of shelling out upwards of $15,000 to replace the battery pack on an electric vehicle holds absolutely no appeal for me. Count me out.