The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Wednesday that it will begin efforts to reverse the Biden administration’s vehicle emissions rules, which would have required automakers to increase electric vehicle production in the coming years.
The move is part of the Trump administration’s broader rollback of policies aimed at boosting EV adoption, including the rescission of a target that called for electric vehicles to make up at least 50% of new car sales by 2030.
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The EPA said it would reconsider its 2024 rule that sought to reduce passenger vehicle fleetwide tailpipe emissions by nearly 50% by 2032 compared with 2027 projections. The agency had previously estimated that between 35% and 56% of new vehicle sales from 2030 to 2032 would need to be electric to comply.
“It is crucial that we reassess regulations that place undue burdens on automakers and consumers,” the EPA said in a statement, adding that the rule had received backing from companies like Ford Motor.
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Additionally, the EPA is reviewing a 2022 regulation that aimed to cut smog- and soot-forming emissions from heavy-duty trucks. The agency had projected the rule could prevent up to 2,900 premature deaths annually and deliver $29 billion in net benefits, but critics argue it increases truck costs.
The agency’s decision follows other recent policy reversals, including the Biden administration’s approval of California’s plan to phase out gasoline-only vehicle sales by 2035, which was submitted to Congress for review. A government agency recently determined that the decision is not subject to repeal.
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Meanwhile, Congress is separately considering a repeal of federal EV tax credits. In January, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also took steps to rescind Biden-era fuel economy standards and froze state funding for EV charging infrastructure.
Under previous rules, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had planned to increase Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) requirements to about 50.4 miles per gallon by 2031, up from the current 39.1 mpg for light-duty vehicles. The agency estimated this would save 64 billion gallons of gasoline through 2050 and cut emissions by 659 million metric tons. While acknowledging potential increases in vehicle costs, NHTSA had projected overall net benefits of $35.2 billion.
Source: Reuters