WASHINGTON, May 5 (UPI) -- Two key senators have introduced legislation that would raise U.S. fleet fuel economy standards to 35 miles per gallon.
Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, chair of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, and Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, the ranking member, unveiled the bill at a news conference Friday, The Detroit News reported. The measure would require U.S. automakers to raise fleet averages to 28.5 mpg by 2015, 35 mpg by 2020 and 4 percent a year from then on.
Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., criticized the bill. He said the last provision, for annual improvements in fuel efficiency, is especially dangerous because it focuses the auto industry on incremental change instead of technological breakthroughs.
An industry group that represents U.S. automakers including Toyota and other foreign manufacturers who have plants in the country opposes the bill.
"Basically, it is unattainable up until 2020 and unattainable afterward," said Gloria Bergquist, a spokeswoman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the trade group that represents General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., DaimlerChrysler AG, Toyota Motor Corp. and other automakers.
