The Trump administration is rolling back vehicle fuel-economy standards to a fleetwide average of 34.5 miles per gallon by 2031, down from the 50.4 miles per gallon target set under the Biden administration.
Read more Another ActBlue Official Pleads Fifth in House Probe of Alleged Foreign Donations
Breitbart reports that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Monday that the administration would soon release the new standards, which are expected to significantly lower the mileage targets automakers must meet.
🚨🇺🇸TRUMP ADMIN MOVES TO SLASH BIDEN’S FUEL ECONOMY RULES
Transportation Secretary Duffy takes aim at Biden’s green auto regulations, calling them “artificially high standards” that make vehicles unaffordable for average Americans.
Under Biden’s rules:
– 50.4 mpg required by… pic.twitter.com/ido4usknki
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 29, 2025
Speaking in Michigan, Duffy said the administration wants Detroit manufacturers to produce vehicles based on consumer demand instead of federal mandates.
Duffy said “We are about to announce a common-sense fuel economy standard because we want Detroit to build cars that Americans want to buy — not cars that Democrats want Washington to build.”
Duffy and administration officials stated the change eliminates expensive, government-mandated technologies, aiming to reduce upfront car costs for consumers by at least $1,000.
The move follows the administration previously eliminating non-compliance penalties for automakers and ended federal tax credits for electric vehicles.
Read more Pentagon to Take 35 Percent Stake in Venezuelan Oil Venture Under Trump Deal
PBS reports environmental groups and analysts are criticizing the move, noting it departs from national climate goals and could increase overall greenhouse gas emissions and long-term fuel consumption.
Under the Biden administration, the required efficiency increases were eight percent a year for model years 2024 and 2025, followed by ten percent in 2026 and two percent annually from 2027 through 2031. Those rules were intended in part to pressure automakers to sell more electric vehicles.
In 2025, Congress eliminated fines for automakers that miss federal mileage requirements and ended the $7,500 consumer tax credit for electric vehicles while revoking California’s permission to prohibit the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles beginning in 2035.
California is challenging that decision, according to Breitbart.
Sec. Duffy maintains that doing away with the Biden-era fuel economy standards will give consumers more choice regarding which vehicles they want to buy.
LOWER fuel economy standards mean GREATER consumer choice and more affordable cars! ⛽️🚙@SecDuffy: “I want the big three to make vehicles AMERICANS want to buy, not what DEMOCRAT LIBERALS want them to make.”@Varneyco @FoxBusiness ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Fh5tsHOeU5
Read more Morning Greatness: House Passes Stop Gap Funding Before Midterms
— USDOT Rapid Response (@USDOTRapid) September 1, 2026
