Crash Course on the Candidates: Barack Obama

Editor’s note: As the presidential race hits a calm period, KickingTires is taking a look at how each of the top three remaining contenders stack up when it comes to automobile-related policy.

Like his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama wants to see a major increase in fuel economy standards in the next two decades — according to his website, well beyond 35 mpg by 2020, which is the current law. To help automakers and parts suppliers, he would provide tax credits to retool plants and invest in “lightweight materials and new engines.” He also wants to lift the 60,000-unit-per-manufacturer cap on buyer tax credits for hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles.

Staying true to his Midwestern, farm-state roots, Illinois Sen. Obama has made biofuels a major part of his energy policy in relation to automobiles. Obama proposes strong investment in cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel, making it a goal to introduce 2 billion gallons into the system by 2013 and 60 billion gallons by 2030.

According to his website, Obama wants to deliver on this goal by providing subsidies, loans, grants, government contracts and even cash prizes to encourage development of “the most promising technologies.” He also desires a mandate that would require automakers to put flex-fuel engines in all new cars by the end of his first term.

If there is something to be skeptical about here, it is Obama’s steadfast support of biofuels. While exciting developments continue with cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel, corn ethanol has begun to raise more and more environmental concerns, including land and water use, food prices and vehicle efficiency.