The US Is Planning Lower Fuel Economy Targets
The US has begun the process of relaxing fuel economy standards to make it easier for manufacturers to meet the rules, and as you can imagine, it’s pretty controversial.
While European and Japanese legislators are tightening the rules to force manufacturers to keep innovating and designing cleaner combustion, America is taking a different route, choosing to ignore studies suggesting that cutting emissions could prevent over 200,000 annual premature US deaths that are linked to air quality.
The American automotive industry asked President Trump almost immediately after his inauguration to reverse the promises they had been forced to make by the Obama administration, as part of its drive to reduce emissions and push the industry to develop and use cleaner technology solutions.
Trump’s government has now opened a process of inviting public comment on the subject, despite it being widely reported as being just a case of jumping through legal hoops before the fuel economy and emissions rules are actually relaxed.
As recently as January this year, the EPA – a known ‘enemy’ of the current administration’s – had tried to ‘lock-in’ the rules so that they couldn’t be changed before 2025. That means a target of 54.5 US miles per gallon by that point, which is no easy feat for an industry that thrives on pickups and SUVs.
Now, though, as Donald Trump seeks to make it easier for American car makers, it looks increasingly likely that the target will be lowered. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which includes Toyota, General Motors and Volkswagen, is urging the government to make it happen, because for them it means lower costs and higher short-term profits.
Meanwhile, plenty of opponents of the proposed move, like the Yale School of Forestry and Environment Studies, say it won’t save auto industry jobs – but will mean increased air pollution. There is, they claim, no evidence to suggest emissions laws have cost American jobs.
Of course, rolling-back efficiency targets also means that the American car industry will be allowed to fall behind its equivalents in Europe and Japan as technology advances. Toyota and Volkswagen will be developing advanced solutions in their other markets anyway, but the danger is that American brands that focus almost totally on North America could soon realise that they’re technologically outgunned; a realisation that could ultimately force a sale to foreign investors anyway.
Then again, there’s going to be another president on the horizon by 2025, if not sooner, so the rules might be changed back. The political posturing will continue…
Comments
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YES
I am with you.
Starting to like Trump…
Hum… Why?
He’s not doing a favor to anyone…
Every other country is trying to make a step forward with fuel economy, while America has decided to take two steps backwards instead…
But it’s good.
For us.
It something i notice in the UK a lot of us look at the US and just think why. They are one of the most backwards first world western countries in the world. I mean they would rather sacrifice the health of the country to keep car companies happy than make car manufactures strive to better themselves. It seems to be another way of making sure the rich get richer and the poor stay broke.
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USA USA USA!!!
Everyone complains about road tax and gas guzzler tax and too strict of regulations surrounding cars, until the US is involved. Then the tune is changed to “we love all our regulation and restrictions on cars, America should do it too!” If Trump had come in with “We’re going to crack down on emissions” the same people in this thread would easily be found saying “That’s too restrictive, it’ll make cars shittier in order to hit unrealistic goals!” Sometimes I feel like Americans just shouldn’t be on this website. Let you all complain by yourselves
what’s gonna happen: america starts building cars and then realize they cant export them anywhere cause they polute about 5 trillion percent more then other cars causing them to lose all possible markets but america itself thus leading to less cars produced thus leading to less jobs.
The biggest companies in the world aren’t going to let themselves fall behind. They’ll still advance all the cars they export. My guess is pickups, since 55mpg isnt feasible in a USABLE pickup at this point in time. We pretty much only sell those here so they wouldn’t have to compete. All other cars that have to, they won’t let themselves fall behind.
I sure hope there’s no political statement being made by this article… That would be disappointing as I very much don’t wanna hear political undertones or implication in such an open-to-everybody community as CarThrottle
I thought it was deemed established that Trump needs to be stopped ASAP before he does further damage?
Now that I think of it, the emission tightening is actually a good idea now that I remember my visit to my grandparents in Cleveland OH, where when I was leaving, an LED road sign at the airport terminal indicated 86% air pollution
Come to Croatia, our air is cleaner and so is our sea.
Though I’ve been there, and your sand is slightly rocks…
I’ll stick with South Italy.
It’s a good place tho, great if you live near there
How MUCH are they planning to lower the fuel economy standards?
Theoretically as low as they want, they are merely lifting the restrictions, so if they want 5mpg vehicles then that’s what they will make
This is why I don’t like Trump. And also because he’s a tit.
And that’s why I like Trump.
And because the other option was Killary