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The Biden administration on Wednesday finalized stringent new tailpipe emission rules that will force automakers to toss most of their gas-powered models to the curb by 2030 and sell primarily electric vehicles.
The unprecedented move by the Environmental Protection Agency is part of President Biden’s climate change agenda meant to overhaul the U.S. auto industry and Americans’ travel habits, but it is expected to face legal challenges.
“With transportation as the largest source of U.S. climate emissions, these strongest-ever pollution standards for cars solidify America’s leadership in building a clean transportation future and creating good-paying American jobs, all while advancing President Biden’s historic climate agenda,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan.
The new fleetwide standards will start with vehicle model year 2027 and phase in gradually until fully implemented. By model year 2032, new vehicle sales must be roughly two-thirds electric. Most EVs will need to be sold to comply with severe regulations on the emissions an automaker’s fleet can produce.
The administration forged ahead with its plan despite pleas from thousands of car dealerships across the country, warnings from industry leaders and major manufacturers slashing production. Demand in recent years has failed to meet growth expectations.
SEE ALSO: Energy industry, GOP lawmakers vow to overturn Biden’s EV mandate
Critics accused President Biden of playing politics to bolster his reelection campaign this fall and boost support among his base.
“This is purely being done for campaign reasons — to appease the climate alarmists and leftist donors that are driving this movement towards really what is an attempt to cancel our energy, which increases the cost of everything,” said Jason Isaac, founder and CEO of the American Energy Institute.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, said Mr. Biden “keeps trying to sell working families on electric vehicles, but the American people aren’t buying the hype.”
The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers and the American Petroleum Institute threatened legal action.
The two major energy lobbying groups said their “organizations are certainly prepared to challenge it in court” unless Congress overturns “this deeply-flawed regulation.”
Congressional Republicans, led by Sens. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska and Dan Sullivan of Alaska, said they would file legislation to repeal the mandate under the Congressional Review Act, which would force a vote despite Democratic control of the Senate.
“This rule is delusional,” the senators said. “This is the Biden administration’s attempt to get rid of the internal combustion engine without congressional authority.”
Sen. Joe Manchin III, a moderate Democrat from West Virginia, was ready to side with Republicans.
He called the rule “reckless and ill-informed.”
“The federal government has no authority and no right to mandate what type of car or truck Americans can purchase for their everyday lives,” said Mr. Manchin, who chairs the Senate Energy Committee.
At the current pace of sales growth of all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, the U.S. would take decades to meet the administration’s 2032 goal.
Roughly 9% of vehicles sold in 2023 were plug-in hybrids or all-electric, up from less than 7% in 2022. All-electric models last year accounted for just 7%.
The EPA wants 67% of all new light-duty vehicles and up to 32% of medium-duty vehicles to be electric by 2032. That includes a mixture of all-electric, plug-in electric hybrids and battery electric hybrids.
Against the prodding of climate activists for even stricter rules, the EPA’s final decision marked a slight reversal from its initial proposal in the face of pressure from manufacturers and the United Auto Workers union for more transition time.
Senior administration officials who spoke with reporters by phone but declined to be identified by name said they would allow hybrids to help manufacturers meet the standards rather than relying solely on all-electric vehicles to achieve the 67% electric threshold. They predict that all-electric vehicles will account for roughly 56% and plug-in hybrids will represent 13% of new vehicles sold by 2032.
Automakers can meet the fleetwide emission standards with various EV technologies, including plug-in electric hybrids, battery electric hybrids and cleaner gas-powered cars.
The EPA is giving manufacturers the option to begin meeting the emission standards in 2030 or 2031 rather than starting gradually in 2027, depending on the vehicle size and weight. This is to “provide manufacturers with additional time to adjust product plans and apply technologies to vehicles,” officials said.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing major automakers, hailed the changes and the final regulation but described the administration’s targets as “a stretch goal.”
Light-duty vehicles and trucks less than 6,000 pounds must start complying in 2027, but light-duty trucks 6,001 to 8,500 pounds and medium-duty passenger vehicles 8,501 to 14,000 pounds can wait until 2030. Medium-duty vehicles, such as larger pickup trucks weighing 8,501 to 14,000 pounds, can wait until 2031.
The EPA acknowledged that it expects higher sticker prices because the environmental regulations will cost the auto industry an estimated $40 billion per year. The senior administration officials insisted those costs would be offset over the life of more efficient vehicles because of lower maintenance and fuel costs.
The EPA estimates that the standards will cost manufacturers an average of $1,200 per light-duty vehicle and $1,400 for medium-duty vehicles.
One of the factors stopping more consumers from buying electric vehicles is their high price compared with gas-powered equivalents.
Senior administration officials held an event Wednesday in Washington to celebrate the regulations. Those in attendance included Mr. Regan, White House National Climate Adviser Ali Zaidi, former Vice President Al Gore and John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation.
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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