Currently reading: US government set to relax fuel economy laws

Trump administration pledges to roll back Obama-era fuel standard, setting up conflict with California

The US government is poised to relax fuel efficiency laws, following through on a pledge made by president Donald Trump.

Rules requiring car manufacturer to achieve an average of 65.5mpg (UK gallons) by 2025 were introduced in the final days of Barack Obama’s presidency.

But in a recent midterm evaluation statement, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Scott Pruitt, stated that those standards were ‘not appropriate'. “The Obama administration’s determination was wrong,” he said. 

Pruitt’s statement did not give any indications of what the standards would be changed to.

The change is part of President Trump’s ‘business first’ policy drive, which is designed to reduce the number of regulations in US law.

Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA sets US national standards for vehicle tailpipe emissions of certain pollutants.

The state of California has been granted a waiver to impose its own, stricter standards for certain pollutants, but Pruitt has now said that is also under review.

Pruitt said: “Cooperative federalism doesn’t mean that one state can dictate standards for the rest of the country. The EPA will set a national standard for greenhouse gas emissions that allows manufacturers to make cars that people both want and can afford, while still expanding the environmental and safety benefits of new cars.”

California is likely to oppose any moves to loosen its emissions standards. In a statement, California governor Edmund Brown Jr said: “This cynical and meretricious abuse of power will poison our air and jeopardise the health of all Americans.”

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James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Acting magazine editor

James is Autocar's acting magazine editor. Having served in that role since June 2023, he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the world's oldest car magazine, and regularly interviews some of the biggest names in the industry to secure news and features, such as his world exclusive look into production of Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets. 

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jam5ter 4 April 2018

So sad

I highly recommend you all take some to watch this video - it really is profound...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX3M8Ka9vUA

The Third Industrial Revolution: A Radical New Sharing Economy

A Third Industrial Revolution is unfolding with the convergence of three pivotal technologies: an ultra-fast 5G communication internet, a renewable energy internet, and a driverless mobility internet, all connected to the Internet of Things embedded across society and the environment.

This 21st century smart digital infrastructure is giving rise to a radical new sharing economy that is transforming the way we manage, power and move economic life. But with climate change now ravaging the planet, it needs to happen fast. Change of this magnitude requires political will and a profound ideological shift.

Peter Cavellini 4 April 2018

Fifty years ago .....

 Fifty years ago we we told twenty first century would bring prosperity,more leisure time, machines would do all the mundane stuff and so on, but, here we are with rising inflation, unemployment, Brexit, a despot in power in three Countries, Nuclear War a button press away. Most of us now are cutting back, delaying things we’d promised ourselves when we retired, well, at the moment that looks fanciful at best, so much for the future we thought would happen, I feel sorry the generation growing up just now, our Sons and Daughters, Trump, he’ll be remembered for all the bad things that are going to happen IF he gets back in....

older 4 April 2018

Clean air in California.....

.....will occur, when Edmund Brown Jr stops farting..........

Marc 4 April 2018

older wrote:

older wrote:

.....will occur, when Edmund Brown Jr stops farting..........

Just had to look up who he is.  Are you one of those Americans?

Marc 5 April 2018

Marc wrote:

Marc wrote:

older wrote:

.....will occur, when Edmund Brown Jr stops farting..........

Just had to look up who he is.  Are you one of those Americans?

Well he ain't returned. Must be off shooting some highschool kids whilst mumblimg something about all the god damm Liberal faggot's removing his right to bear arms. Fxck yeah!

Harry P 4 April 2018

To hell with the environment

Trump really has no interest in the environment. This proposal only goes to prove this.  All he is interested in is giving the American domestic producers more leeway so they can continue to sell their inefficient vehicles in place of more efficient imports.   Which will no doubt be very popular with his loyal followers?   Looking after the planet can be the responsibility of other Countries.  As Trump’s America does not appear to exist in the World that the rest of us occupy.

older 4 April 2018

older

...you sound like a traitor to me...be careful, son...