Obama: Model T Gets Better Mileage Than an SUV

by Robert Farago

Published: March 21st, 2009

obama model t gets better mileage than an suv

President Obama recently received major car guy demerits when he proclaimed that America invented the automobile. Even if you give Obama a mulligan, someone on his staff should have fact-checked the jingoistic assertion—especially after President Kennedy told Germany he was a jelly donut (ein Berliner). But President Obama’s most recent gaffe reveals darker demagoguery, highlighting his Messianic mission to mold motorcars to his green dreams. The AP reports,

Obama, touring a California electric car plant on Thursday, said, ‘The 1908 Model T — think about this — the 1908 Model T earned better gas mileage than the typical SUV in 2008… Think about that: 100 years later, and we’re getting worse gas mileage, not better, on SUVs.’

Ford’s own Web site says the Model T’s mileage ranged from 13 to 21 miles per gallon. Some Tin Lizzie enthusiasts who still drive the vehicles report numbers closer to the bottom end of that range. A typical SUV sold in 2008 gets 18.7 miles per gallon.

Anyone who isn’t trying to bash Detroit (oh, and everyone else who makes the vilified vehicle) understands there’s a world of difference between America’s first mass production automobile and ANY modern SUV. More specifically: Safety. Reliability. Utility. Comfort. Ease of operation. Emissions. Etc.

The meta point: Detroit (oh, and everyone else who makes the vilified vehicle) have been purposefully dragging their heels on mpgs. Consumers, of course, are blameless. As are the feds who allowed the SUV CAFE loophole (they were bribed!).

The “we’d all be driving more more fuel efficient vehicles now if it weren’t for corporate greed” idea is a liberal, anti-Detroit shibboleth that ignores commercial realities and refuses to die. But here’s the thing: Barack’s Boyz are now in control of Chrysler and GM. What’s the bet the Presidential Task Force on Automobiles heard the Prez’s mean meme loud and clear? Guess what happens next . . . .

Robert Farago

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2 of 83 comments

U mad scientist on Mar 23, 2009
Except, of course, for the fact that, as the number of SUVs on the road has reached a record level, fatalities per 100 million miles driven has reached record lows. Explain how correlation equates to causation. It's crucial for you to look up what that means. -- Well, the tradition oligarchs clinging to backwardness describes both the Republicans and the Democrats, but I’m not sure which party the first one is supposed to represent… I think you do. Instead of being coy, maybe you can explain why you think social democracy fits that description instead of mine. -- Apparently you have never heard of Keith Olbermann and Michael Moore. This is a confusing statement to make because I just replied to it in my post. I'm pretty sure there's no special insight here that justifies repeating. Most likely, you wanted to be coy and forgot what the argument was; to rephrase my earlier point, just because people are in media does not make their position equal. - And while Obama may not be “purposely” ignorant, I’d suggest that he learn something about automobiles and the history of the automobile industry if he wants to have some credibility on this subject. The guy is making a point in a political speech. It's a justified point, and if you take any particular exception to it you should reply to the many existing arguments in this thread (like pch's among others) so it won't be repetitive. - I’m sure that you must have been voicing the same concerns during the Bush Administration. I know what you're getting at, but rest assured that neither Bush nor Obama invented stupid people who think they're clever because they managed to understand some idea which was designed for public consumption (nor the even dumber crowd who still didn't get it). In conclusion, you should drop the passive aggressiveness and say something substantive.

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Pch101 on Mar 23, 2009
Except, of course, for the fact that, as the number of SUVs on the road has reached a record level, fatalities per 100 million miles driven has reached record lows. The two points aren't contradictory. NHTSA data makes it clear that in SUV vs. car accidents, the cars come out of them in far worse shape (more deaths.) The combination of mass and bumper heights goes against those in the passenger cars. I’d suggest that he learn something about automobiles and the history of the automobile industry if he wants to have some credibility on this subject. Again, Obama's basic point was accurate - the guy plodding around in his hulking SUV is sucking down the same amount of gas per mile driven as was his grandfather in the old T. I realize that the SUV has far greater performance characteristics, but his point was a matter about fuel consumed per mile driven, not differences in vehicle design. You don't need to be a car guy to know that a Model T is slower, carries fewer people, etc., but that isn't germane to the specific comment being made, which is one about fuel usage per mile driven. Given the ubiquity of these trucks on the road and the overall impact that they make on both the demand for oil (which impacts national security and the economy) and the environmental impact (a public policy issue), the comparison to the T's is useful.

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