The Biden administration has announced new federal rules that will require new vehicles sold in the U.S. to average about 38 miles per gallon (MPG) by 2031, up from approximately 29 MPG this year. Unveiled on June 7, these regulations aim to increase fuel economy by 2% annually for passenger cars between model years 2027 and 2031. SUVs and light trucks will see a 2% yearly increase from model years 2029 to 2031, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
These new standards are less stringent than the previous year’s proposal, providing the auto industry with flexibility to focus on electric vehicles (EVs). Higher fuel economy requirements would have imposed significant costs on consumers without sufficient fuel savings to offset them, administration officials noted.
President Joe Biden has set a goal for half of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. to be electric by 2030, part of his broader climate change agenda. While EV sales accounted for 7.6% of new vehicle sales last year, this new target marks a significant increase.
NHTSA estimates that the new standards will save nearly 70 billion gallons of gasoline by 2050, preventing more than 710 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg highlighted the benefits, stating, “These standards will save car owners more than $600 in gasoline costs over the lifetime of their vehicle.”
These regulations align with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) tighter standards for tailpipe emissions, ensuring a cohesive approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, discrepancies between NHTSA and EPA rules may require automakers to follow the stricter regulation.
The mileage standards reflect real-world driving conditions, including factors such as wind resistance and air-conditioning use, which result in lower MPG figures than those typically cited by NHTSA.
The auto industry has expressed mixed reactions. John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, acknowledged that the new rule aligns with other federal tailpipe rules. However, Dan Becker from the Center for Biological Diversity criticized the standards as inadequate, arguing that they fail to maximize technological feasibility.
The NHTSA rule includes a 10% annual improvement for commercial pickup trucks and work vans for model years 2030 to 2032. Automakers can achieve these requirements with a mix of EVs, hybrids, and efficiency improvements in gas and diesel vehicles.
As the vehicle fleet increasingly shifts towards electrification, the relevance of traditional fuel-economy standards may diminish. This transition prompts ongoing discussions about the future of these regulations and their role in promoting energy conservation and independence.
Source:
https://www.ttnews.com/articles/mileage-standard-rising-38-mpg
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