The Trump administration announced a significant rollback of the Biden administration’s national fuel economy standards to ease the production of gas-powered cars.
The changes would reverse standards implemented by President Joe Biden in 2022, which required automakers to reach an average of 50.4 miles per gallon by the 2031 model year.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) projects that the proposed standards, excluding electric vehicles, would achieve 34.5 miles per gallon by 2031, reverting to standards from Trump’s first term.
President Donald Trump, alongside executives from Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, stated that the repeal aims to reduce production costs and lower prices for consumers. Trump criticized the previous standards as too costly and burdensome.
Opponents argue that rolling back fuel economy standards could increase costs for drivers and hinder efforts to reduce air pollution. Consumer advocates and experts plan to present testimony against the changes during the public comment period.
Gina McCarthy, former EPA administrator, warned that this rollback could increase pollution and allow China to dominate the global car market with electric vehicles.
U.S. automakers expressed support for the rollback. Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa and Ford CEO Jim Farley praised the administration for aligning with market conditions, emphasizing affordability and consumer choice.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy initiated rulemaking to rescind or replace the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, stressing that federal law pertains to combustion engines, excluding electric vehicles and hybrids.
The U.S. Department of Transportation stated that the proposed standards would eliminate the CAFE credit trading program by 2028, impacting compliance costs for gas-powered vehicle manufacturers.
A recent forecast by AutoPacific anticipates electric vehicles’ market share in the U.S. to remain at 8% through 2026, unchanged since 2024.
The Biden fuel economy standards, as reported by the NHTSA, were expected to save Americans over $23 billion in fuel costs and reduce pollution.
Jason Schwartz, from the Institute for Policy Integrity at NYU, claimed the repeal would hurt consumers financially and increase exposure to gas price fluctuations.
The move aligns with broader efforts by the Trump administration to reverse Biden’s environmental regulations, including calling for the elimination of subsidies for electric vehicles and challenging California’s emission limits.
Repealing the 2009 endangerment finding, which allows the regulation of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, would be unprecedented, according to the EPA.
Strong auto standards are essential for reducing pollution and oil dependence, said Dan Becker from the Center for Biological Diversity. He criticized Trump’s actions, suggesting they favor oil interests and impair competitiveness in green technology.
Original Story at insideclimatenews.org