Trump to Cut Standard on Fuel Economy

President Trump announced Saturday that he has signed off on new federal fuel economy rules that would sharply cut requirements for how far new cars must travel on a gallon of gas. The standard would drop to about 34.5 miles per gallon by model year 2031, from the Biden administration's planned 50.4mpg, Politico reports. Trump framed the move as killing what he called a "ridiculous EV Mandate," promising cheaper, "safe" gasoline-powered cars. Automakers are eager to build more vehicles in the US under the revised standards, his Truth Social post said.

The wording of the rule wasn't immediately released. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called it a "major victory" for auto workers, saying more details would come Monday. Environmental groups and other opponents said the change further undercuts electric vehicle adoption and risks leaving US carmakers behind global competitors that are racing toward EVs. Despite Trump's wording, the Biden rules did not require consumers to buy electric vehicles, Newsweek points out. They were designed to encourage automakers to produce more fuel-efficient and electric vehicles while cutting fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.