The goal: Use less gasoline

The goal: Use less gasoline

Denver Post: As the ruptured deep-water oil well in the Gulf of Mexico has reminded us, our national reliance on gasoline often comes with harsh side effects.

So we continue to appreciate the leadership President Barack Obama has shown in trying to make our cars and trucks dramatically more fuel-efficient and cleaner.

In bypassing Congress on May 21 — but with significant buy-in from automakers — Obama said his goal was to cut automobile air pollution and fuel use in half within 20 years.

It’s a heady goal, and one that will raise the price of vehicles. But ultimately it will help prod automakers into making better vehicles.

The president’s latest move basically improves upon his landmark effort last year to streamline a patchwork of differing regulations and present clear national standards for cars and light trucks. The goal is to produce a vehicle fleet that averages 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016.

Another component of Obama’s mandate frees up further federal support for research and development that could produce better technologies, such as making electric cars more attractive to consumers.