WASHINGTON — The Trump administration will finalize sharply lower vehicle fuel-economy standards through 2031 on Monday, reversing a Biden-era push that steered automakers toward building more electric vehicles, officials said Saturday, Reuters reported.
President Donald Trump said he had approved the new standards, which he cast as a win that will lower new-vehicle prices. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said “a major victory for America’s auto workers is coming Monday.” The department previously proposed a fleetwide average of about 34.5 miles per gallon by 2031, down from 50.4 under Biden rules, estimating average new-vehicle costs would fall by roughly $930.
The same analysis projected higher fuel use — on the order of 100 billion gallons through 2050 — and about 5% more carbon dioxide emissions. Former Biden transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg said lowering standards would hand clean-tech leadership to China and leave Americans paying more at the pump. The move lands as U.S. drivers face elevated fuel prices since the wider Middle East war began in February.
Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera
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