The US Is Ditching Its 'Too Tough' New Car Efficiency Targets

In a deeply controversial move, the US government is to remove the tough 2025 efficiency targets set during the Obama era
The US Is Ditching Its 'Too Tough' New Car Efficiency Targets

The United States Environmental Protection Agency is binning targets to decrease emissions and increase fuel economy by 2025, in a move that’s bad for urban pollution levels but good for car makers.

The Obama administration had worked hard to implement a national emissions target of 54.4 US mpg (65.3 UK mpg) by 2025. The rules meant that car makers’ model range average fuel economy would have to equal or better that – under threat of heavy fines.

Removing the targets had been threatened, and now the controversial move has been confirmed.

The move meant that a very quick shift to hybridisation and electric cars would have been necessary in the relatively diesel-shy US, and car makers argued it simply wasn’t enough time to develop and perfect new models at prices consumers could afford.

In a ruling that he then tweeted, EPA boss Scott Pruitt said that the Obama-era decision was wrong, saying that the targets will be revised but that the current bullseye will be scrapped.

Naturally, not everyone is happy about this. California is threatening to go it alone with ultra-strict emissions rules, risking a head-on collision with the federal authorities. And anyway, if the current administration is voted out at the next election, the rules might change yet again…

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Comments

Jack the Car Guy

Yes, more V8!

04/03/2018 - 12:31 |
76 | 9

Death to the ecoboost

04/03/2018 - 14:18 |
6 | 19

you less time to live on this planet and more deaths due to carbon monoxide posioning?

im a proper car guy, but i wouldnt want to make our air worse due to more V8s.
also when Obama made the regulations a few years ago, it was interesting to see what new technology car companies would come up with. we got the hybrids in the cars of the holy trinity, the Honda NSX, the Rimac, etc etc. in my opinion these cars are much more fun for consumers to make rather than dump a plain V8 and call it a day(no offense i like a BIG V8)

god this makes me hate trumps administration even more

04/03/2018 - 15:01 |
36 | 44
Anonymous

That’s pretty hype tbh

04/03/2018 - 12:34 |
3 | 1
Chewbacca_buddy (McLaren squad)(VW GTI Clubsport)(McLaren 60

YYYYYYYEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHH BBBBBOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!

04/03/2018 - 12:40 |
4 | 1
boi_
04/03/2018 - 12:41 |
63 | 10
Anonymous

In reply to by boi_

Honestly, Trump is doing much better than anyone expected.
I mean after more than a year in power, he has saved petrolheads from the environmentalist.
Not to mention that no country has been nuked yet .

04/03/2018 - 13:04 |
31 | 18
Anonymous

So in the future we will see more v12 lambos

04/03/2018 - 12:46 |
3 | 1
FLixy Madfox

…….. Not yay. Pollution is a big problem and getting cars to be cleaner can and will definitely help. Sure, there are power plants and a lot pf those are run on nonrenewable enegery but two wrongs don’t make a right if ya catch my drift.

04/03/2018 - 12:47 |
28 | 10

The solution is less cars, not cleaner cars

04/03/2018 - 12:48 |
2 | 1

But unfortunately, an unrealistic goal written on a piece of paper won’t magically create the technology needed to hit those goals. Sure, it’d be great if you could run 10 miles without stopping, and it sounds great. But if my plan is to make it illegal for you to stop while running 10 miles, you won’t magically become a seasoned runner will you? No. The same is true with overzealous emissions regulations. It doesn’t improve the technology, it makes companies have to cut corners or lie like VW did in order to meet the crazy requirements and still make a decent car

04/03/2018 - 13:08 |
7 | 0

I catch ya drift

04/03/2018 - 13:08 |
1 | 0

EV production in itself is an incredibly toxic process. And the fact most of the world runs on Coal, Oil and Gas for their electricity supply means they’re only as good (if not worse) to the environment than conventional cars. I know it’s unrelated to your comment slightly, but in order to meet demand for EV charging, renewable power sources simply won’t be powerful enough unless governments invest in them rather than banning old petrol/diesel cars. I investigated the topic for a project at college - a real eye-opener.

04/03/2018 - 13:13 |
17 | 3

I agree, although most people here will disagree with you since apparently they think that the environment isn’t something to care about

04/03/2018 - 14:14 |
2 | 1
Anonymous

MOAR V8S

04/03/2018 - 12:48 |
7 | 2

Lmao pride in what? The worst most corrupt government in US history? Might as well say #russianpride

04/03/2018 - 13:37 |
9 | 15
The Stigs Guyanese Cousin

V8 4lifeeeeee!!WOOOO

04/03/2018 - 13:05 |
6 | 1

Even tho im not american XD

04/03/2018 - 13:06 |
2 | 0
My Name is Joel

I am really disappointed in my government,

04/03/2018 - 13:11 |
7 | 5

Same here. We’re always told that the US is a world leader in progress, but things like this make me doubt that.

04/03/2018 - 20:43 |
2 | 0