In 2020, Trump cut CAFE to 40 mpg. Now he’s cut it again to just 35 mpg.
The federal government’s war on fuel efficiency claimed another victim today. The Department of Transportation released a new rule for the country’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, which, as expected, discourage the very idea of economical vehicles. Among the changes is a rollback to fuel economy numbers not seen in more than a decade, below even the low standards implemented in 2020, the last time Trump was in power. The new goal is just 34.9 mpg by model year 2031.
This is nothing if not expected. When Sean Duffy was installed as Transportation secretary last January, he immediately announced that any fuel efficiency standards put in place under the Biden administration were dead and buried. Those rules had a slower ramp up than some might have liked but would have required automakers to sell many more electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.
If they haven’t already, this is when Americans should finally realize that he and his family are being paid for by foreign actors. He is actively putting US business out of the world wide market. The US is going backwards while everyone else moves forward. Did China just hand him a huge pot of cash for putting the last nail in the US automotive industry’s coffin?
I don’t understand how this can seem like a good idea even to a climate denier.
American cars are already the least desirable. Reducing the standards will make them unworthy of foreign markets.
Imagine if the US had decided to lead the way into a renewable future. A huge economy powering research, and building home grown tech for the world.
Instead you’ve got these octogenarians harvesting the wealth of the populace.
It’s Trump. Some car manufacturer exec gave him a few million to do this, since it’ll save them some money in the short term before they jump ship to another company, so he did it.
Actually the most plausible explanation.
It wasn’t a joke. This is literally how corrupt politics works. People become politicians specifically so that they can make a bunch of money from companies paying them to push the country more in their favor, and the people who don’t play into that game don’t make it high enough to do anything about it.
The thinking is: forget international - just build enormous tanks for Americans because they love them and will pay more for them. Only problem is they run up against some limits with respect to fuel economy laws.
The top selling vehicle in America for like over a decade is the Ford F-150 truck. 80% of cars sold in the US are trucks and SUVs.
Ford motor company doesn’t even make a passenger car anymore - except the Mustang which is a small run sports car nostalgia wank.
These companies aren’t trying to make the car of tomorrow for the whole world. They are trying to make as much profit as possible from a somewhat captive market which happens to be one of the wealthiest in the world.
All clear now? It’s evil and it sucks but it shouldn’t be a mystery.
You’re trying to use logic to argue with climate deniers?
It makes sense when you realize Trump’s goal is to punish people
american automakers were already doing their best to completely avoid the difficult regulations by selling light trucks (SUV) instead of cars, reducing the regulation might (probably won’t) lessen the incentive to build bigger vehicles to bypass said regulations.
I can only afford to drive shit from 2014 so this makes sense.
I’m currently sitting at early aughts and eighties levels personally.
Drump is actively sabotaging the future of the USA.
Someone should ask him if he did this because Obama had things right.
I’d like someone in the press pack (if he ever finds himself in front of one again) to say to him, “Mr President, many people are saying you’re too stupid to have rigged the election. What do you say to them?”
Love this. Make fuel more expensive, make cars less efficient. Strangle the American public.
So progressive! He’s helping us cut back on fossil fuels by making it so prohibitively expensive that no one can afford to drive any more!
/s
My hope is that this is going to be similar to the toilet thing.
In his first term he tried to bring back the giant toilets that used way more water per flush, but manufacturers were like, “Um, no, we’ve got low-flow working well, why would we want to go backwards and cost consumers more in water bills?”
I’m hoping car manufacturers look at current gas prices and go, “Yeah maybe we don’t just make even more giant gas guzzlers…”
GM introduced a 6.7L engine, replacing a 6.2L, in their grocery-getter school run pickup models.
I saw that the new Duramax is getting bigger too.
6.6 L →8.3 L
Wow that’s going to be excellent at $10/gallon
Funnily enough if you use it for its intended purpose, I suspect it might actually be more economical than the 6.6L. More modern engine, even more torque down low so not as much reason to keep higher revs under heavy load. Diesels aren’t SUPER affected by displacement, European 6 cylinders aren’t that much worse on fuel than 4 cylinders in highway usage and that comes with extra cylinders, so more moving parts to cause drag. This is V8 to V8. With the increased towing capacity, you may get shit towed in one trip that would’ve taken two before, or tow loads that wouldn’t have been allowed (or recommended by the manufacturer, anyway) with the previous engine and would’ve required a big rig.
But how many people are actually going to be towing several tons with one? With an empty bed and no trailer, the ridiculous amount of torque does nothing for you other than making pulls more fun, which just means you’ll waste even more fuel.
And the 5.3 is going back to being a 350 again
I’m not saying they won’t make ANY gas guzzlers.
Your hope is mine as well, but I think reality will be that the MEXCAUS auto manufacturing industry will be dead in 20 years or less.
And the health of the US people will go further downhill as they breath more noxious fumes. No healthcare for most and productivity as well as longevity will decline. Thank something for AI to replace all these sick people! /s
Up next: introducing leaded gasoline! It prevents engine knocking!
I’m still convinced leaded fuel is partially responsible for the brain damage that contributed to modern conservatism
Even if it didn’t. Conservatives will act proud like they are better for it.
Nice, fuel production is down… so lets make our use of it even greater!!!
This is America winning!!!
Double gas price not enough motivation to go more fuel efficient? It’s economics.
Bring back V12s 😎
Cutting food standards led to a rapid rise in avoidable harms and deaths. Manufaurers just stopped doing what they knew was required.
Well, RAM is at 2010’s prices, why not everything else?
Lowkey, this is how I realized I was raised and have existed poor, 35 MPG still sounds of magic XD
Pretty sure they’ll “Dodge” that
Too late (I hope). At this point anyone buying a petro powered car is just an idiot. Though unfortunately there are about 33% of the public who have demonstrated pure idiocy already.
Pure ignorance right here. Sure, if you own a house you can install a wallbox or whatever and just charge at home. Maybe that’s the case in the US where I guess home ownership is rather high. But if you don’t own a home and live in a rented apartment, you most likely have to use public charging infrastructure. And if that doesn’t exist or simply not enough charging stations are available, then you can’t switch to an EV and have to continue to use an ICE car.
Also, since EVs are rather new, they can be more costly, even used ones. So again, those with little money will have to stick with an ICE car for the forseeable future.
sorry for not being able to afford an EV
EVs are pretty much on par with gas cars new….
I’m not buying new
Or they need to drive further than a battery allows… I assume this is post on you given “petro”.
Most EVs on the market have ranges on par with gas cars. 300 or so miles.
The only real difference is instead of 5 minutes to pay and fill up a gas tank, it take like 20 minutes to charge on a fast charger.
This is definitely an issue. Because if you want a car with serious EV range it costs a lot more for that range, and infrastructure for EV is still a problem.
Looking forward to the EREVs. If trump doesn’t do something to kill them, too.
EREVs add additional complexity, cost and emissions though. Battery tech is developing rapidly still, so EVs built 5 years from now will have more range and faster charging for less money.
