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Obama's 5-Ton Limo Exempt From Green Car Policy

No hybrid engine could haul that puppy

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff

Posted Apr 2, 2011 2:44 PM CDT
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(Newser) – President Obama this week rolled out some ambitious goals toward making the federal government's fleet of cars more fuel-efficient, but his critics are likely to have fun with one thing in particular: His big limo is exempt. (Drudge has been highlighting the exemption with an upside photo of the president.) It's a matter of practicality, explains the Detroit News. Nicknamed the Beast, the thing weighs more than 5 tons and has armor thought to be 5 inches thick. No hybrid or plug-in need apply, at least in the near future.

As for the rest of Obama's plan: He wants all federal cars bought by 2015 to have advanced technology—think hybrids, electric cars, or alternative fuel vehicles. The latter category would include so-called flex fuel cars that can run on ethanol. The president noted that the government owns a 600,000-car fleet. "That means we've got a lot of purchasing power. So what we're doing is we're using it to boost clean energy technologies."

The limousine carrying President Obama to Air Force One arrives at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas in July.
The limousine carrying President Obama to Air Force One arrives at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas in July.   (AP Photo/Daniel Gluskoter)
President Obama steps out of his limousine before boarding Air Force One.
President Obama steps out of his limousine before boarding Air Force One.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
President Obama is silhouetted in the window of his limousine.
President Obama is silhouetted in the window of his limousine.   (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 42 comments
bird
Apr 2, 2011 11:19 PM CDT
Barbara should of had an abortion. In response to Disillusioned.
riffran
Apr 2, 2011 9:34 PM CDT
Although it's does smack a bit of hypocrisy under normal conditions .... In the case protecting thePOTUS (even this one). I could give a shit if he cruised around in a modified Bradley tank limo getting three gallons to the mile.
hopeandchange
Apr 2, 2011 9:30 PM CDT
I guess my only thought is that there are few things more efficient than a tuned up diesel which is what the presidential limo uses. Everybody is going "well he needs that behemoth because he is the president" but they are missing the whole point. Five tons or one ton the efficiency of the physics is the same. Gasoline packs more energy in it than anything besides nuclear, its just the most power per cubic foot but it wastes a lot so diesel is even better if you can stand the drawbacks. But I guess I am just spitting in the wind, all this green stuff sounds so great but its just not ready for prime time. In my HONEST opinion its just to bull shit people until its just too late to stop the collapse. When I read the statement about the 600K vehicles of the government I thought "yea each vehicle being green is really worse for the environment than an old fashioned one, but we'll make it up in volume."

 
hybrid car • President Obama • going green

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