New cars and trucks wouldn’t have to go as far on a gallon of gas under new standards being considered by the Trump administration.
The changes to Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards are still under discussion. But the possibility already has sparked an outcry among critics, who say the move wouldn’t necessarily make cars cheaper but would increase both tailpipe emissions and fuel costs for consumers.
“The Trump administration’s reported plans to weaken fuel economy standards will mean higher costs for Americans at the gas pump and more reliance on foreign oil,” said Peter Zalzal, associate vice president for clean air strategies at the Environmental Defense Fund.
It’s still unclear when the Trump administration plans to make the move or how much it plans to lower fuel economy standards. But Trump’s Transportation Department already has taken a step in that direction by declaring last month that it aims to reset the tailpipe rules put in place by the Biden administration.
