Commentary

Paris may ban SUVs

From Reuters: Bulky four-by-fours could be banned from clogging up the chic streets of Paris after a top official in the capital’s left-wing government described them as a polluting “caricature of a car” unsuited to city life. An anti-sports utility vehicle (SUV) resolution passed by the city council could lead to a ban on the popular vehicles in about 18 months if it is included in an overall project to improve traffic flow in the city, Deputy Mayor Denis Baupin said Wednesday. If Paris does ban SUVs it will be interesting to see how the ban is enforced. For example, it seems like the Ford Expedition would be an easy ban, but what about the Ford Escape? What about the hybrid Escape, which will be available in a couple of months? What about the car-based crossovers like the RAV 4, which can get over 30 mpg? If it’s car-based is it still a “caricature of a car”? This isn’t just nitpicking. Car-based SUV are quickly becoming more popular than their hulkish predecessors, and the ongoing SUV evolution will complicate things for those whose hair stands on end at the mention of those three letters.