The Biden administration announced new automobile emissions standards Wednesday that officials called the most ambitious plan ever to cut planet-warming emissions from passenger vehicles.
The new rules relax initial tailpipe limits proposed last year but eventually get close to the same strict standards set out by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The rules come as sales of electric vehicles, which are needed to meet the standards, have begun to slow. The auto industry cited lower sales growth in objecting to the EPA’s preferred standards unveiled last April as part of its ambitious plan to cut planet-warming emissions from passenger vehicles.
The EPA said that under its final rule, the industry could meet the limits if 56% of new vehicle sales are electric by 2032, along with at least 13% plug-in hybrids or other partially electric cars, as well as more efficient gasoline-powered cars that get more miles to the gallon.
Let’s see how the auto industry responds. Last time the government tried to impose emission regulations we ended up getting massive pickup trucks as a result (which obv don’t have reduced emissions compared with pickup trucks that have a reasonable size and wheelbase).
That’s because the previous requirements were based on physical vehicle size. Bigger vehicle, more emissions possible to meet requirements. Which also means more expensive to manufacture, so they can be sold for more as well.