National Press Release

WASHINGTON, March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Calling the upcoming series of federal decisions on carbon dioxide regulations an important part of the auto industry's transformation, automakers today called for a single approach for fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards. Automakers said the adoption of an Obama national program administered by the federal government is the most effective way to bridge the concerns of all stakeholders and hopefully signal the beginning of a new era. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers released the comments as the administration is poised to change the industry's landscape with sweeping proposals.

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is expected to set new fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks beginning with model year 2011, which will be the first year of new fuel economy standards included in 2007's historic Energy Bill, which calls for a 40 percent increase by 2020. At the same time, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also is expected to soon decide whether California can implement its own standard on fuel economy instead of joining the comprehensive federal program.

"In the end we all share the same goal," said Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers President & CEO Dave McCurdy. While crediting California and other states with advancing debate on GHGs to where it is today, McCurdy said that the proposals introduced years ago were designed to fill the void left by the federal government's inaction, but times have changed. "Today's administration has the opportunity to reset the debate," and "bridge state and federal programs to address the environment and today's economic realities."

In addition to these important decisions, the administration may soon begin the process of forming a regulation on GHGs through an EPA endangerment finding.

"We're not waiting for that decision," said McCurdy. "We're already taking action. That's because we understand that being a successful industry means being a part of the low-carbon economy."

The comments come at a flashpoint in the auto industry as it shifts to the low-carbon economy in the face of the most dramatic auto sales decline in history. Calling it a new day for automakers, the Alliance underscored its commitment to transforming its products and its companies to play a leading role in today's business environment.

"You have our commitment to continue reinventing the automobile," said McCurdy. "We will be on the leading edge of the world's low-carbon economy; an economy in which green auto jobs are a fundamental part of the engine driving our communities."

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is a trade association of 11 car and light truck manufacturers including BMW Group, Chrysler, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi Motors, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen. For more information, visit the Alliance Web site at www.autoalliance.org.

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SOURCE Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers