Heartache: Trump To Roll Back CAFE Standards

We already know that the ever increasing federal and state MPG mandates have made vehicles more expensive, and, at one time, made them more dangerous due to the use of lighter materials and smaller cars. Of course, over the years those vehicles got way more expensive to make them safer. And then there were the Biden standards, which were meant to force American citizens into EVs, even though Biden and the people who voted for them rarely travel in anything less than big SUVs

Trump announces plans to weaken fuel efficiency rules for cars and trucks

President Donald Trump announced the rollback of fuel efficiency and tailpipe emission rules for cars and trucks at a White House event attended by executives from the country’s biggest automakers Wednesday.

Under rules set by President Joe Biden, new cars sold in the United States would need to get more than 50 miles per gallon on average in 2031, effectively requiring automakers to sell more electric vehicles to meet the standard. The proposed rule change would lower that figure to 34.5 miles per gallon. Last year, new vehicles got about 28 miles per gallon on average, according to federal estimates.

34.5 is still a big jump, but, this would cause manufacturers to push more hybrids, rather than EVs. And, like I tell so many customers, if I stick you in a hybrid and don’t tell you it’s one, you won’t know, it’ll just be quieter. Today’s hybrids aren’t the same as ones from 20 years ago. I get 45mpg in my Accord, and I do not miss the ICE engine from my previous Civic or Accord (same 1.5 liter 4 cylindrical turbocharged engine) at all. I have way more than enough power.

50 would be absurd. Trump should put out an EO that any government vehicle Biden uses must be an EV. Too bad he can’t do that for Congress.

Trump also said his administration will “cancel” Environmental Protection Agency rules that limited greenhouse gas pollution from vehicles’ tailpipes. Turning to Ford CEO Jim Farley, Trump added, “Your people at Ford were coming to me all the time” to lobby for weaker rules.

“These rules are going to allow the automakers to make vehicles that Americans want to purchase, not vehicles that Joe Biden and [former transportation secretary Pete] Buttigieg want them to build,” Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said.

If people want EVs they’ll get them. They shouldn’t be forced into them. And, just to be clear, I think the $7,500 rebate should be reinstated. No big deal.

Lawmakers and executives from General Motors, Ford and Stellantis were at the White House to mark the announcement. Trump called on them one by one to praise his decision.

“Today is a victory for common sense and affordability,” Farley said while standing over Trump’s shoulder, adding, “We believe that people should be able to make a choice, as you said, Mr. President, and we will invest more in affordable vehicles.”

Make what consumers want.

Environmentalists, meanwhile, lamented the latest blow to U.S. fuel economy rules.

“They’re going to raise costs for consumers at the gas pump and they’re going to signal to the Chinese that the world market is open to you and we’re just going to abandon it,” Dan Becker (director of the Safe Climate Transport Campaign at the environmental nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity) said.

Do we care about Chinese selling EVs (stuffed with government spyware)? We want the cars we want. If Dan and the others want EVs, get one. Otherwise, mind your own f’ing business.