The Biden administration announced new automobile emissions standards Wednesday that officials called the most ambitious plan ever to cut planet-warming emissions from passenger vehicles.
The new rules relax initial tailpipe limits proposed last year but eventually get close to the same strict standards set out by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The rules come as sales of electric vehicles, which are needed to meet the standards, have begun to slow. The auto industry cited lower sales growth in objecting to the EPA’s preferred standards unveiled last April as part of its ambitious plan to cut planet-warming emissions from passenger vehicles.
The EPA said that under its final rule, the industry could meet the limits if 56% of new vehicle sales are electric by 2032, along with at least 13% plug-in hybrids or other partially electric cars, as well as more efficient gasoline-powered cars that get more miles to the gallon.
Will they apply to “Light Trucks”?
They really need to. The F150 Lightning, R1T, and Cybertruck are proving that this segment can successfully electrify. Telo has some great plans for shrinking trucks back down but still being able to be trucks, I’m most excited by their plans. I think Ford’s T3 platform might do the similar, but time will tell.
It needs to apply to pickups and SUVs. Quit catering to the auto industry at the cost of the environment. And we need to get rid of the chicken tax to accomodate small truck imports, that should have been done long ago.