Slimming down the fat cats of the automobile industry

It’s time for the ‘fat cats’ of the automobile industry to slim down their fuel usage or get left in the dust. Pressure from regulators and consumers has prompted luxury car companies to improve the fuel efficiency of their vehicles.

But is it even possible to combine eco-friendly and luxury performance?

Take the list of desirable luxury features – power, performance, safety, comfort, and technology. These add up to more powerful engines, larger, heavier vehicles and the addition of power-draining gadgets, not fuel efficiency.

BMW leads the luxury car industry in reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. But at 170 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer, BMW is still far off the EU target 120 grams and a long way from the eco-friendly performance of their economy counterparts.

Size is to blame. It takes more fuel to move a heavier vehicle. Last year, the average car gained 10 kilograms, burning up any technology advances with a larger load. Because luxury vehicles tend to be heavier for comfort and safety, their fuel usage is much worse than economy cars in the same class.

But the clock is ticking for these automotive fat cats. The European Commission wants all automakers to cut average emissions to 120 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer by 2012 and 95 grams in 2015.

Perhaps if industry regulation doesn’t convince luxury car companies, public opinion will sway them. With rising fuel prices and increasing concern over the environment, environmental advocates are hopeful it will become unfashionable to drive a gas-guzzler.