Fuel efficiency standards axed by Trump administration
Trump’s choice for the Department of Transport, Secretary Sean Duffy has axed the country’s fuel efficiency standards. Duffy was sworn in to his new job and immediately made the choice, citing the cost to consumers.
In a memo soon after starting his new post, he ordered the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) “to commence an immediate review and reconsideration of all existing fuel economy standards applicable to all models of motor vehicles produced from model year 2022 forward.” He placed particular emphasis on the tough fuel efficiency regulations that the Biden administration put in place in 2024.
“The memorandum signed today specifically reduces the burdensome and overly restrictive fuel standards that have needlessly driven up the cost of a car in order to push a radical Green New Deal agenda. The American people should not be forced to sacrifice choice and affordability when purchasing a new car,” Duffy said in a statement.
The memo repeats the message from Donald Trump. It claims that relaxing fuel efficiency standards and allowing vehicles to be more polluting is needed to “remove regulatory barriers to motor vehicle access” and that doing so will create “a level regulatory playing field for consumer choice.”
State waivers on car pollution, including California’s right to regulate air quality within its own borders, should be scrapped, the memo added. This is because it “function[s] to limit sales of gasoline-powered vehicles.” It has also described subsidies for electric vehicles “ill-conceived government-imposed market distortion” that made many cars unaffordable for many Americans.
The updated regulations will remain somewhat strict but allow car manufacturers more time to reach their goals. They will also allow for a larger mix of hybrid cars as opposed to fully electric vehicles.
The Trump administration has also issued a memo banning the federal government from buying any zero-emissions electric vehicles. This is in stark contrast to the Biden administration who in 2021, ordered that most federal vehicle purchases out to be zero-emissions by 2032.
Stay tuned to EyeOnLondon for the latest news and expert opinions.
Follow us on:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest videos and updates!
We value your thoughts! Share your feedback and help us make EyeOnLondon even better!
