Plug In America Issues Statement on Trump's Fuel Efficiency Rollback

Part two of EPA and NHTSA rule will cost consumers money and affect public health.

Plug in America, the nation’s leading advocacy group for the transition to electric-powered personal transportation, released a statement in response to the Trump administration’s latest attack on new vehicle mileage standards.

The new rules will greatly reduce one of America’s best tools to reduce the negative public health impacts caused by tailpipe emissions. With part two of the EPA and NHTSA rule now officially taking effect, corporate average fuel economy standards for 2021 through 2026 will only need to improve 1.5% year over year, instead of the 5% improvement that was currently in place. 

The Trump administration, and the automakers that supported these relaxed standards, have argued that the new measures will reduce the cost of new vehicles and also, somehow make them safer. However, studies show that over time the lower fuel standards will actually cost Americans $300 billion.

According to a Consumer reports study, weakening requirements to 1.5% will do the following:

  • Increase fuel costs per average new vehicle by $3,200
  • Increase net costs per average new vehicle by $2,100
  • Cost nearly every state (45 of 50) at least $1 billion in net consumers losses
  • Cost all American consumers a total of $300 billion in net losses

Setting lower emission standards also means more tailpipe emissions and a greater impact on global warming. However, that’s probably not something that the current administration has much concern about since the President has made his position on the global warming “hoax” quite clear:

Donald Trump’s tweet on global warming