In a significant reversal of environmental policy, President Donald Trump has moved to dismantle fuel efficiency regulations for vehicles established under his predecessor, Joe Biden. The announcement, made from the Oval Office on Wednesday, marks a major rollback of efforts to curb pollution from the transportation sector.
Oval Office Announcement with Auto Executives
Flanked by top executives from major car manufacturers, including the CEOs of Ford and Stellantis, Trump declared an end to what he termed "Joe Biden’s ridiculously burdensome" Corporate Average Fuel Economy (Cafe) standards. He argued the rules imposed "expensive restrictions" and upward pressure on car prices, linking them to an "insane electric vehicle mandate."
The Biden administration had required automakers to increase the fuel efficiency of new passenger cars and light trucks to approximately 50 miles per gallon by 2031. This was part of a broader strategy to promote electric vehicles and address the climate emergency. The Cafe standards, first created in 1975, have been progressively tightened over decades to improve fuel economy.
Substantial Weakening of Mileage Targets
Trump's new proposal, formulated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, dramatically loosens these targets. The revised rule would require cars to achieve only about 34 miles per gallon by 2031, significantly reducing the regulatory pressure on automakers to enhance the efficiency of petrol-powered vehicles.
This action is the latest in a series of steps by the Trump administration to unwind Biden-era policies supporting cleaner energy. Previous moves include relaxing auto tailpipe emissions rules, repealing fines for carmakers failing to meet mileage standards, and terminating consumer tax credits of up to $7,500 for electric vehicle purchases.
Economic Affordability vs. Environmental Cost
The administration, facing a cost of living crisis, framed the rollback as essential for making new cars more affordable for American families. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, present at the announcement, stated the rules would allow automakers to "make vehicles that Americans want to purchase," not those dictated by the previous administration. He emphasised the link to American jobs, arguing that more car sales would bolster domestic employment.
However, environmental and consumer advocacy groups have issued stark warnings. Katherine García of the Sierra Club's Clean Transportation for All programme said gutting the Cafe standards would "make cars burn more gas and American families burn more cash."
Dan Becker from the Center for Biological Diversity warned the move would "feed America’s destructive use of oil" and hamstring the US in the global race for green technology against foreign carmakers. He noted that existing efficiency standards have driven innovation, saving consumers money at the fuel pump, and expressed concern the auto industry would use the relaxed rules to avoid competing on efficiency.
This policy shift occurs against the backdrop of Trump's longstanding dismissal of the climate crisis as a "hoax." Transportation remains the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, with burning petrol a major contributor to global heating.
