Is the U.S. Government Deliberately Suppressing Fuel Efficiency?

Most people would logically believe that the U.S. government works for the citizens of America – after all, that is why we continue to pay taxes, right? The perceived good intentions of the American government are increasingly being called into question even among the previously naive, as government collusion with big business often takes precedence over the individual or even society as a whole.

A recent video is going viral showing an American man describing his European vacation experience in a rental Volkswagon Passat while in the UK.  He was shocked to see the vehicle was getting 50+ miles-per-gallon carrying four adults and hefty luggage. He discovered that without the typical vacation load, the UK’s VW Passat could run a whopping 65+ miles per gallon.

Back in the States, he contacted a Volkswagon dealer about the diesel model, but the best mileage available was 44 miles-per-gallon from the TDI Passat model. When pressed, the dealer finally admitted, “The US Government won’t allow it.” Why exactly would fuel efficiency be suppressed, and how widespread is this inequality?

The dealer explained:

• VW makes American models for Americans.
• VW does manufacture that fuel efficient motor, but it is shipped to South America and other countries, no sales allowed here.
• Ford also makes cars with 70+ mpg ability — only permitted for sale to other countries.
• US Gov’t won’t allow due to “economic” reasons.

Originally, the dealer told him the reason had to do with pollutants, but better fuel efficiency would be less polluting, wouldn’t it?

The United States been in the dark about mileage abilities, always yearning and waiting for more innovation or legislative mandates. Meanwhile, other countries’ drivers zip around on more than double our most fuel efficient vehicles, partly thanks to U.S. manufacturers.

Americans have been told repeatedly by politicians that we must force car companies to make more fuel efficient cars through legislation.  One must also wonder if the American people would have been forced to bail out the major car companies in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis had there not been restrictions on these companies in the first place to sell their most innovative products to the biggest consumer market in the world?

It’s unclear precisely when the U.S. government began to suppress innovation in favor of special interests, presumably Big Oil in this instance, but the practice has clearly had ripple effects which are also paid for by the U.S. taxpayer.

The politicians apparently believe it’s better to fight expensive wars for oil, or drill in environmentally sensitive locations, rather than lift the restrictions on the sale of fuel efficient cars.  They continue to use Detroit as a straw man and blame them for the lack of fuel efficient cars, but what will they claim when the American people discover the truth like the gentleman who made the video?

Please check for yourself to corroborate what is discussed in the video below:

Volkswagon U.S. Specs HERE
Volkswagon U.K. Specs HERE
Note: The Imperial gallon is larger than the U.S. gallon, so when calculating mpg the conversion is 70 mpg Imperial = 58.28 U.S. (source)