In Detroit, we should be doubly concerned, because the American automobile industry is suffering as well as the consumer. In controlled experiments, big vehicles were rammed into little vehicles. But the anti-SUV press following the event masked a different reality.
People today choose SUVs because they are safer.
These regulations start with the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, but they are headed for much, much more. The EV-1's 57 points was double that of many of America's favorite cars. Meanwhile, those purchasing SUVs would be pleased to note that the Cadillac Escalade, Ford Excursion, Lincoln Navigator and Toyota Land Cruiser were all stuck in single digits. While premium SUVs, light trucks and luxury cars are expensive, they clearly are more practical for a family in Michigan than the top-ranked electric cars, for at least two reasons. On the tax front, we have a variety of anti-big car policies embedded in the law.