CAFE Gone?

[C/K Man]

So, if the Corporate Average Fuel Economy requirements are essentially eliminated, what does in mean for the next generation Silverado/Sierra? 

[swathdiver]

There is still legislation making its way through Congress that will provide concrete guidance on how the manufacturer's can proceed.

 

In a year or two, they'll be able to offer simpler and more reliable engines.

[Atlas]

Penalties for not meeting CAFE requirements have been removed recently.

 

However, automakers have previously agreed, as a matter of business, and have entered into contracts with California and other states to uphold CAFE requirements going forward. You may not think so, but they all know this "administrative situation" is temporary and cleaner/more efficient vehicles are the future and world standard. They're not going to waste money to retool all their plants to exclusively build pushrod V8's when the tide will be changing again soon.

[KARNUT]

I like very little government intervention. They usually jump the shark. The manufacturers do too. Perfection was almost reached up to 2006. Yeah there were wrinkles. Can you imagine all your GM vehicles being down at the same time. We were there with the first GM diesels. Most of my family bailed. I came back in 1994. Impala, Z-28. Bought 6 trucks in a row. GMs used and new. Even with its flaws I enjoyed the Trailblazer SS to the max. 2014 was the last. Cylinder Deactivation, eight-ten speed transmission in a half ton. I saw the future. I wanted a midsize truck after the Avalanche. Honda. I never would have thought it. 

[customboss]

1 hour ago, swathdiver said:

There is still legislation making its way through Congress that will provide concrete guidance on how the manufacturer's can proceed.

 

In a year or two, they'll be able to offer simpler and more reliable engines.

Retool and change won’t happen fast,  too expensive. My opinion. 

[PunchT37]

1 hour ago, customboss said:

Retool and change won’t happen fast,  too expensive. My opinion. 

Agree. They might not continue down this path they were going but, they ain`t going back to "points and plugs".

[newdude]

I'd garner that nothing changes given that there have been mules since about February spied and spotted and production is right around the corner potentially by mid 2026.

[KARNUT]

Maybe they can relax the hardware that lessens reliability. Why do we need a ten speed on a light duty truck? I mean Ram is coming back with the Hemi. How about making the 6.2 able to run on regular that makes more power on premium and E-85. Drop the 5.3 and keep the 4cylinder as the lower option. If the last new truck I bought had a non cylinder deactivation 5.3 that can run E-85. I would still have it. I would have about 150K miles on it.  

[swathdiver]

11 hours ago, customboss said:

Retool and change won’t happen fast,  too expensive. My opinion. 

As soon as the first piece was signed into law, the SRT Division at Ram came back to life and they are building Hemi engines again.

 

All GM has to do is delete AFM on the gas engines and do some software changes.  With the diesels, it's more of the same, delete the DEF and other garbage systems and update the software.  That fixes the existing stuff and saves them money.

 

These changes cannot be undone by the Commies unless they hold super majorities in both houses of Congress and the Presidency.  Not gonna happen.

[asilverblazer]

17 hours ago, swathdiver said:

All GM has to do is delete AFM on the gas engines and do some software changes. 

With the diesels, it's more of the same, delete the DEF and other garbage systems and update the software.  That fixes the existing stuff and saves them money.

It would probably be surprisingly easy for GM to do. Similar to when during COVID there were non AFM engines being built. No AFM lifters and no auto stop/start. I bet the mpg's wouldn't even change.

 

The diesel (at least the 6.6) would be a lot more complicated, dumping the EGR, DEF, DPF, SCR... but man would it be a pretty wild truck. WAAAY more reliable, higher mpgs, lower price and lower maintenance.

 

I doubt either would ever happen because it is GM after all. But IF it did, maybe a federal version without all the add ons, and a California compliant with them. 

[swathdiver]

58 minutes ago, asilverblazer said:

It would probably be surprisingly easy for GM to do. Similar to when during COVID there were non AFM engines being built. No AFM lifters and no auto stop/start. I bet the mpg's wouldn't even change.

 

The diesel (at least the 6.6) would be a lot more complicated, dumping the EGR, DEF, DPF, SCR... but man would it be a pretty wild truck. WAAAY more reliable, higher mpgs, lower price and lower maintenance.

 

I doubt either would ever happen because it is GM after all. But IF it did, maybe a federal version without all the add ons, and a California compliant with them. 

There is no more California compliance, they've been stripped of all authority.  Once these laws take effect, their new scam is going to be safety and brake dust inspections.

[customboss]

1 hour ago, asilverblazer said:

The diesel (at least the 6.6) would be a lot more complicated, dumping the EGR, DEF, DPF, SCR... but man would it be a pretty wild truck. WAAAY more reliable, higher mpgs, lower price and lower maintenance.

Getting rid of SCR is really problematic cheaply. 

[C/K Man]

CAFE has to do with fuel economy, not emission controls.  Emissions is EPA and CARB. 

[Grumpy Bear]

Lots of wishful thinking. IMO anyway. 

[swathdiver]

On 7/18/2025 at 7:29 PM, C/K Man said:

CAFE has to do with fuel economy, not emission controls.  Emissions is EPA and CARB. 

CAFE is not a government organization, it's gone anyways.  No more.