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Biden Administration Unveils New Fuel Economy Rules for New Cars
The Biden administration has released new federal rules that will require new vehicles sold in the US to average about 38 miles per gallon of gasoline in 2031, up from about 29 mpg this year. The final rule will increase fuel economy by 2% per year for model years 2027 to 2031 for passenger cars, while SUVs and other light trucks will increase by 2% per year for model years 2029 to 2031. The administration has said that the less strict requirements will allow the auto industry flexibility to focus on electric vehicles. President Biden has set a goal that half of all new vehicles sold in the US in 2030 are electric, part of his push to fight climate change. Gasoline-powered vehicles make up the largest single source of US greenhouse gas emissions. The new standards will save almost 70 billion gallons of gasoline through 2050, preventing more than 710 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions by midcentury, according to the Biden administration. The highway safety agency said it has sought to line up its regulations so they match new Environmental Protection Agency rules that tighten standards for tailpipe emissions. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a leading industry group, said the Biden administration”appears to have landed on a CAFE rule that works with the other recent federal tailpipe rules.” However, the new rules have been criticized by environmental groups as inadequate.
