The Enterprise had fuel needs, plus the Federation imposed a speed limit of Warp 5 because high warp use was found to be damaging the fabric of spacetime. Ships had to ask permission, or just forgiveness later, to go over the speed limit.
The metaphor is literally a speed limit of 55 to increase fuel efficiency to lower pollution and therefore climate change. Because this was all stiff written by humans for dramatic effect.
The Enterprise had fuel needs, plus the Federation imposed a speed limit of Warp 5 because high warp use was found to be damaging the fabric of spacetime. Ships had to ask permission, or just forgiveness later, to go over the speed limit.
The metaphor is literally a speed limit of 55 to increase fuel efficiency to lower pollution and therefore climate change. Because this was all stiff written by humans for dramatic effect.