Trump administration to slash clean car rules aimed at cutting climate emissions
Environmentalists decry move that relaxes requirements on automakers to control pollution from gas-powered cars
TL;DR
- The Trump administration has slashed clean car rules, easing pollution controls for gasoline and light trucks for model years 2022-2031.
- This move reverses a Biden administration initiative to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles (EVs).
- Proponents, including former President Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, claim the new rules will lower vehicle costs by an average of $1,300 and save consumers $138 billion over five years.
- Environmental groups, such as the Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity, have condemned the rollback, arguing it ignores clean technology, will increase fuel consumption by billions of gallons, raise emissions, and make driving more expensive.
- The previous Biden administration had set annual increases for fuel efficiency standards, while the Trump administration proposed much smaller increases and even a retroactive revision for 2022.