The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump plans to repeal some of the stricter vehicle fuel-efficiency standards introduced during Joe Biden’s presidency. The new rules are expected to be unveiled on Monday, Bloomberg reports, according to UNN.
Details
If the final requirements correspond to the plan presented earlier, the fuel-economy standard for 2031 model-year vehicles will be lowered from approximately 50 to 34.5 miles per gallon.
Trump claims that easing the requirements will allow automakers to reduce costs and make new cars cheaper for Americans.
Cars will be able to consume more fuel
In practice, the changes will mean that manufacturers will find it easier to sell traditional gasoline-powered vehicles with higher fuel consumption. The Biden rules, by contrast, encouraged automakers to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles and increase the share of electric vehicles.
The decision is expected to be welcomed by the automotive and oil industries, which criticized the previous requirements as too strict.
At the same time, environmental organizations warn that less fuel-efficient vehicles could mean higher costs for drivers at the pump. This issue is particularly relevant amid high fuel prices in the United States — according to Bloomberg, gasoline prices rose to record levels in September, while diesel fuel exceeded $6 per gallon for the first time.