SUVOA Available to Comment on Motor Vehicle Fuel Economy Standards

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2006 -- SUV Owners of America, the national non- profit organization representing the rights of SUV and light truck owners, is available to discuss the negative impacts of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) changes currently being debated in Congress.

With gasoline at $3.00 a gallon, everyone wants better fuel economy so why shouldn't policy makers tighten CAFE standards? Because history has shown that forcing vehicle fuel economy beyond what is technologically affordable results in vehicles that are smaller, less powerful and with reduced towing and hauling capacity. There is no "magic carburetor" that the government can force out of the closet. There is no free lunch at Big Brother's CAFE. If there were, why wouldn't any one of the profit-driven car companies already have produced a full-sized family sedan or SUV that gets 5, 10, 20 more miles per gallon or more?

It took twenty years of CAFE before USA Today correctly analyzed it as "Death by the Gallon." Their conclusion, based on credible studies: about 50,000 highway deaths resulted from vehicle downsizing to meet higher CAFE standards.

The negative consequences of demanding what may not be technologically affordable are clear:

   -- Higher vehicle costs that may not be recouped by savings at the pump.
   -- Fewer vehicle models and vehicle option choices, meaning some
      consumers' needs may be unmet; and/or
   -- Downsizing of vehicles that history has shown leads to an increase in
      occupant deaths.

SUVOA is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to supporting the rights and serving the interests of 85 million SUV and light truck owners. For more information about SUVOA visit http://www.suvoa.com/.