25 mpg won’t end US energy problem

So long as its love affair with the gasoline automobile continues, the US can’t do without foreign oil. The government could, however, require manufacturers to increase the efficiency of new vehicles by tightening rules requiring minimum mileage per gallon for certain categories, such as SUVs. The government could also encourage automakers to produce more fuel-efficient cars by increasing the gasoline tax. This wouldn’tt be popular, but even with recent price hikes, gasoline in the US is still markedly cheaper than in many other countries