I think you're agreeing with me...
I don't think oil being a "limited" resource is motivation for the auto industry at all.
The auto industry should cater to their consumers, just like any other industry does. You build what the people want, and they'll buy it, en masse. So, until gas hits $10+ per gallon, the auto industry shouldn't have to worry about ultra-high fuel efficient vehicles until the consumers demand it.
And that's the basic principal that Akerson was touching on. If gas prices were at $10 or $15 per gallon, probably 90% of the American people would be demanding that the vehicles they buy should be ultra efficient. And the auto industry would be doing everything they could to meet that demand, otherwise they would be out of business.
But instead, the government is going to implement an arbitrary standard that all automobiles meet these rediculous efficiency ratings. So, now the consumer is going to be demanding a product that the industry will be unable to provide because it can't meet these restrictions. In effect, the government will indirectly put every car manufacturer out of business.
8cd03gro missed the point. No one is pushing for an added gas tax. This is just a theoretical debate on how an entire consumer base could be moved to demand only fuel efficient vehicles.
