US Department of Transportation Makes Way for Less Efficient Cars as Fuel Prices Soar
The US Department of Transportation released its new Freedom Means Affordable Cars rule on Monday, resetting the nation’s corporate average fuel economy standards to pre-Biden-Buttigieg-era levels. Secretary Sean P. Duffy called it the end of an “illegal mandate” that forced automakers to build EVs that Americans don’t want, but the new rule, which makes it easier for automakers to build less efficient vehicles against the backdrop of soaring fuel prices, feels more than a touch tone-deaf.
According to AAA, Americans are paying an average of $4.48 per gallon for regular and $6.45 per gallon for diesel at the time of publication, with high prices driven largely by the conflict in Iran and instability stemming from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. That’s more than a 50% price increase at the pump since the start of the conflict. As part of my recent research on the future of electric...
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