Do Americans spend more on fuel because their cars are inefficient?

Question

I'm from the UK we are charged $7 to $8 Dollars a US gallon for our Petrol and Diesel. However many of us drive fuel efficient clean diesel cars that reach 50mpg or above. I hear that the average US motor does 17mpg. So I reckon that although UK residents pay more for their fuel, their motoring costs are lower because they drive more efficient motors. I also hear that most of our fuel costs goes on taxes which pay for roads, schools, the health service etc.. The increased US spend would go on bigger motors and more money for big Oil corporations. Surely it's better to drive smaller cars and contribute toward better healthcare and a cleaner environment? What do you think?

Answer 1

Most people outside the United States can not or do not comprehend the size of this country. The UK is 50,346 square miles. The United States is 3,794,083 square miles. The state of Louisiana is the closest in size to the UK. It is 51,840 square miles.

As has been mentioned, train and bus transportation amounts to little outside of very major cities. The highway system killed the much of the mass transportation system of the 1940's. Shortly after WW II, Americans fell in love with their cars and there was soon a highway system to drive them on. But driving small cars over long distances is not a pleasurable thing to do.

Yes, our cars do use lots of gasoline and to some degree diesel. However, people here are a mobile group of people. Outside of the large cities like New York, Atlanta, Chicago it is most difficult to not have a car.

The large SUV's and other trucks for day to day transportation is a stupid waste of resources. Hopefully, these will play out their welcome and something smaller and more efficient will become fashionable. But, it is unfair to criticize the American and ignore the high speed automobiles and highways of Europe. Last year I was in Italy. We had a drive from Rome to our cruise ship. The trip took 1 hour with our driving speed 160 kph or 100 mph. Speeds as such are not allowed anywhere within the United States. We would have used less gasoline at a more reasonable speed.

Many think that the "big oil companies" are to blame for our "high" gasoline costs, present $2.86 per gallon. Taxes amount to approximately 47 cents per gallon. Then there is transportation and production costs. Few people outside of the oil industry know the cost of drilling one oil well that may or may not produce oil. The present cost of about $90 per barrel of crude oil is not set by the big oil companies. It is the market in force and those controlling the production of oil, read Middle Eastern countries. The United States would do well to wean itself from that source of oil. It could if it would take on the fight to drill additional wells off-shore, Alaska, and the almost unspeakable nuclear power. Raising corn and turning it into alcohol is not the right solution. Corn is too much of a staple food to many, many people worldwide.

Good question but the answer is not easy. You see, the same people that complain about the price of gasoline buy water in plastic bottles (that require oil to produce) for 2,000 times the price of taking water from their faucet. They pick up their groceries in plastic bags, again requires oil to produce, wrap their food in plastic, use plastic outdoor furniture. Oh, the list is endless.

Answer 2

Well, some cars are getting better than the 17mpg now but our big 3 - chrysler, Ford and General Motors are more interested in selling the big cars they can charge more money for than a smaller more fuel efficient car and fight any effort to enact legislation which would make them provide more fuel efficient cars. Some of our gas taxes do go for improved roads but in areas such as Michigan, the limits allowed on roads is so high that the roads are destroyed by large trucking companies and trucks but the average driver is paying for that rather than those who are destroying the roads with the higher weights they transport.
you do have better mass transit there which makes a difference as well. I am sure our gas prices will continue to rise - usually about $3 a gallon now - so perhaps in time we may catch up to you in gas prices and we can only hope that we start being able to buy the cars here that you have there that do give the increased mpg.

Answer 3

17 mpg? That can't be correct.
For those that drive really big trucks, then maybe.
Otherwise, the majority of us drive cars that get anywhere from 30-45mpg.
Gas (petrol) was always very cheap for the U.S., probably because we buy so much of it. It didn't start getting really expensive up until the last 4 or 5 years, and that's most likely why we kept on driving our big *** trucks and SUV's all the time. Most of Europe has had expensive gas prices for a long time, and that's probably why you've been driving those tiny little cars for so long.
So you can see why we've been lagging behind on buying more efficient cars.

Answer 4

No, we spend more on gas because our transportaion system within our borders is almost non existent. Trains and busses do not run everywhere. You take that, and the number of square miles within our borders, and you have a situation where people need to go places, how do they do that you ask? they do it with good ole automobiles. Go to europe, in any country you can hop a train or bus and go anywhere. In the US. Not possible. That, and we do have the highest standard of living in the world. A large majority of poor people in this country have their own cars.

Answer 5

I agree. It's ridiculous that Americans feel the need to drive such huge overpowered cars. In recent years they've been getting even bigger. We do pay a lot of taxes on gas for roads and such, but more fuel-efficient cars would do more to reduce our dependence on foreign oil than any war.

Answer 6

Ya all of the stupid rednecks with their big stupid trucks that they have to put 30" wheels on which just makes matters worse! They have to have their stupid *** V8's that end up getting about 9-12 miles to the gallon which is sad! GUESS WHAT AMERICA THESE GAS PRICES ARE YOUR OWN DAMN FAULT!

Im sorry im an American and I can even see how inefficient American cars are! who cares about having the biggest stupid redneck truck, because your costing all of us in gas prices! Domestic cars get very bad mileage.. I drive a Mini Cooper that gets 35 miles to the gallon and its great! it might be too small for all of those rednecks but atleast its pratical!

Answer 7

When were you last in the states,they have one-seater roller skates made by differant companies,but all most the same.The mini is now a sort after car over there.

Answer 8

not just Americans...the piston engine concept is over 100 years old...we've just upgraded it instead of innovating something better...Americans do tend to drive more gas-guzzlers cause they like being able to lift heavy things or totally win in an accident....Rediculously huge Trucks R Us

Answer 9

Americans don't care, the rich want to suck out the system until its dry

Answer 10

What I drive,were i drive,what i wear.how talk and spell is none of YOUR business so y'all can give this yanks back-side a little kiss ,no tongue