[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 13 (Monday, April 2, 2007)]
[Pages 374-375]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting With United States Automobile Makers

March 26, 2007

    The President. I've just spent quite a while talking to our CEOs of 
American automobile companies. And I was interested in their take on my 
goal of reducing gasoline consumption by 20 percent over the next 10 
years.
    I found it very interesting that by 2012, 50 percent of the 
automobiles in America will be flex-fuel vehicles. That means that the 
American consumer will be able to either use gasoline or ethanol, 
depending upon, obviously, price and convenience. That's a major 
technological breakthrough for the country. If you want to reduce 
gasoline usage, like I believe we need to do so for national security 
reasons as well as for environmental concerns, the consumer has got to 
be in a position to make a rational choice. And so I appreciate very 
much the fact that American automobile manufacturers recognize the 
reality of the world in which we live and are using new technologies to 
give the consumers different options.
    Right now, most of our ethanol is made from corn. But the Federal 
Government is spending a lot of money to try to develop new technologies 
that will mean that ethanol could be made from wood chips or switch 
grass. Part of that request is embedded in a request to the Congress, 
and I would hope that Congress would move expeditiously on our plan to 
reduce gasoline usage by 20 percent over the next 10 years. It's in our 
national security interest that we do this; it's in economic security 
interest we do it; and, all at the same time, it will help us be better 
stewards of the environment.
    And now I'd like to ask these gentlemen to make a few comments. Go 
ahead, Rick.
    G. Richard Wagoner, Jr. Yes, I'd just--from General Motors' 
perspective, we very much share the President's vision, and we 
definitely see a path through to both lower oil consumption, lower 
amounts of imported oil, and fewer carbon emissions. And obviously, 
near-term opportunity that we are moving on right now, as the President 
cited, is flex-fuel vehicles that are powered by E-85 ethanol. There are 
millions on the road

[[Page 375]]

today. As a group, we've agreed to double our production by the year 
2010 and then have 50 percent of our production E-85-capable by the year 
2012. This makes a big difference, and there's nothing that can be done 
which can reduce the curve of growth in imported oil and actually turn 
it down like using E-85, taking advantage of what's there today.
    So we look forward to the opportunity to work closely with the 
administration, the Congress to increase the production of ethanol and 
to improve the distribution. And on the manufacturer's side, we look 
very, very much forward to playing our role in that process as well.
    The President. Thank you--[inaudible].
    Alan Mulally. Well, I might add to what Rick said, that we at Ford 
absolutely are supportive of the President's goal, both for energy 
efficiency and independence and to be good stewards of our environment.
    One of the neat things about the conversation, again, today, on the 
continuing dialog that we've had, is being able to--for the United 
States system to have options and have flexibility. And the fact that we 
have ethanol solutions today, hybrids coming along, and plus hydrogen 
and fuel cells and new battery technology, gives some great options to 
satisfy our need for flexibility, as well as being good stewards of the 
environment.
    So, Mr. President, we appreciate the leadership, and we look forward 
to working with you going forward.
    Thomas W. LaSorda. Well, DaimlerChrysler, which includes the 
Mercedes Car Group, the Freightliner, and other truck divisions in the 
Chrysler Group, we've committed as well, by 2012, to have 50 percent of 
our production not only in E-85 but biodiesel. This Jeep Grand Cherokee 
here today is going into production as we speak, being shipped from the 
factory with B-5.
    So we're very committed to this as well, and we think this is the 
answer for America to lower our dependence on foreign oil.
    Thank you.
    The President. One of the things that I think it's important for the 
American taxpayer to understand is that we're using some of their 
dollars to promote new technologies, and we're working with these CEOs 
and their respective companies to advance new technologies. They're on 
the leading edge of technological change, and it's in our interest to 
help promote these new technologies that are coming to the market.
    And I'm excited about the future. I'm optimistic we can meet our 
goal. I look forward to working with Congress to do so. And I appreciate 
you all coming today.

Note: The President spoke at 11:11 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White 
House. Participating in the meeting were G. Richard Wagoner, Jr., 
chairman and chief executive officer, General Motors Corp.; Alan 
Mulally, president and chief executive officer, Ford Motor Co.; and 
Thomas W. LaSorda, president and chief executive officer, Chrysler 
Group, DaimlerChrysler.