Trump Administration Rolls Back Fuel Economy Standards for New Cars

The Trump administration is loosening the fuel economy rules that carmakers must meet across their fleets, reversing targets set under President Joe Biden that were designed to push the industry toward more efficient vehicles and electric cars.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy formally rolled out the new standards on Monday, following a weekend announcement by President Trump. Duffy cast the change as the end of what he called an illegal mandate that forced automakers to build more expensive electric vehicles, and said it would help make cars more affordable while supporting American auto workers.

What changes

Fuel economy rules, known as CAFE standards, set the average distance a manufacturer's vehicles must travel on a gallon of gasoline. Published reports put the new fleetwide target at roughly 35 miles per gallon for cars and light trucks by the 2031 model year, compared with a projected level of about 50 miles per gallon under the previous rules. The department had not yet published the full, detailed rule at the time of the announcement, so the final figures may still shift.

Supporters and critics

The administration argues that easing the rules will lower sticker prices. Whether buyers actually see savings will depend on production and pricing decisions automakers have not yet laid out. Critics counter that weaker standards mean vehicles burn more fuel over their lifetimes, raising what drivers spend at the pump and increasing emissions.

The rollback fits a broader pattern: the president has repeatedly promised to undo policies that encourage or subsidize electric vehicles, and this move removes one of the strongest regulatory drivers behind that shift.

Sources: PBS News, Karmactive