The Biden administration’s Department of Transportation has unveiled new fuel efficiency standards, mandating significant improvements in the average miles per gallon (MPG) for vehicles.
The regulations set new MPG targets across manufacturers’ entire product lines, promoting the production of electric vehicles (EVs) to meet these goals more easily. By 2031, passenger cars must achieve an average of 65 MPG, up from the current 48.7 MPG. Pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles are required to reach 45 MPG, compared to the current 35.1 MPG. Heavy-duty pickup trucks and large vans will need to improve from 18.8 to 35 MPG.
These stringent standards aim to cut carbon emissions by nearly eight billion tons by mid-century. The changes have been welcomed by environmentalists and health advocates. Harold Wimmer of the American Lung Association remarked, “Today’s final rule is another important step toward reducing carbon pollution and curbing climate change.”
Despite the positive feedback, the new regulations face opposition. Twenty-five states, governed by Republicans, have filed a lawsuit against the new rules, expressing concerns over potential job losses. Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg defended the standards, stating, “Not only will these new standards save Americans money at the pump every time they fill up, they will also decrease harmful pollution and make America less reliant on foreign oil.”
Electric vehicle adoption remains a challenge. Last year, EVs accounted for only 7.6 percent of new car sales. EVs typically cost about $6,000 more than their gas-powered counterparts. Although EV prices dropped by nine percent last year, the median cost was still $55,252 in April, according to Kelley Blue Book.
In some states, EVs represented as little as three percent of new car sales. Additionally, a recent survey showed that EV owners drive 20 percent less than gasoline-powered car owners, due to concerns about the availability of charging infrastructure.
