Mercedes-Benz Isn't Fine With Paying Fines Anymore

Two years ago Mercedes-Benz was fined just under $30 million for being over the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. CAFE standards are regulations made in the United States that require manufacturers’ fleet of cars to average a set fuel efficiency standard. These standards came into play after the 1973 Arabic oil embargo. Should a manufacturer not meet the standard, they are to pay a fine if they wish to continue to sell their models in Amurrica.

Since 1983, however, Mercedes-Benz has missed the CAFE standard and has paid over $200 million in fines as a result. But that won’t be a continuing trend according to product development chief Thomas Weber.

Says Weber “From 2010 on, we won’t pay anything, That’s clearly our goal”.

Uh. Should that not have been the goal from the get go?

You see, in past years it was way easier and, believe it or not, more cost effective for Mercedes to just pay the fines rather than change its fleet of cars to be more fuel efficient. So they gladly just accepted the fine.

Now though, Mercedes wishes to change its tune and is helping to avoid these fines through diesel, hybrid and electric car technology.

Don’t think that Mercedes is doing this to help out the environment, however. They are doing it because CAFE standards are expected to steadily increase along with the fines for not meeting them thanks to the Obama administration.

Not to pick on Mercedes, though. Pretty much every manufacturer is guilty of just paying the fines.

Here’s hoping Mercedes-Benz can actually meet the new CAFE standards, even if they are doing it for the wrong reasons.