EPA Issues ‘Strongest-Ever’ Auto Emissions Standards to Boost EVs

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued new rules on March 20 for automobiles aimed at cutting carbon emissions and boosting both hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs).

The new regulations amount to the toughest-ever limits to tailpipe emissions, part of the Biden administration’s bid to accelerate the manufacture and take up of EVs.

This affects passenger vehicles, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles produced, starting in 2027.

The regulations, according to the EPA, would save 7.2 billion tons of carbon emissions through 2055 in addition to providing “nearly $100 billion of annual net benefits to society, including $13 billion of annual public health benefits due to improved air quality, and $62 billion in reduced annual fuel costs, and maintenance and repair costs for drivers.”

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“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 Mr. Regan.

“Under President Biden’s leadership, this Administration is pairing strong standards with historic investments to revitalize domestic manufacturing, strengthen domestic supply chains and create good-paying jobs,” he added.

White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi said that American auto manufacturing gives drivers options—all while saving the planet.

“On factory floors across the nation, our autoworkers are making cars and trucks that give American drivers a choice—a way to get from point A to point B without having to fuel up at a gas station,” he said in a statement.

“From plug-in hybrids to fuel cells to fully electric, drivers have more choices today,” continued Mr. Zaidi. “Since 2021, sales of these vehicles have quadrupled and prices continue to come down.”

Environmental and auto-related groups applauded the new rules.

“The EPA has made significant progress on its final greenhouse gas emissions rule for light-duty vehicles,” said the union group United Automobile Workers in a statement.

“The future is electric. Automakers are committed to the EV transition—investing enormous amounts of capital and building cutting-edge battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, traditional hybrids and fuel cell vehicles that drive efficiency and convert petroleum miles to electric miles,” said Alliance for Automotive Innovation President and CEO John Bozzella in a statement.

“By taking seriously the concerns of workers and communities, the EPA has come a long way to create a more feasible emissions rule that protects workers building ICE vehicles, while providing a path forward for automakers to implement the full range of automotive technologies to reduce emissions,” he added.

‘Prohibitively Expensive’

However, not everyone celebrated the latest developments to deal with pollution.

“At a time when millions of Americans are struggling with high costs and inflation, the Biden administration has finalized a regulation that will unequivocally eliminate most new gas cars and traditional hybrids from the U.S. market in less than a decade,” said American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers President and CEO Chet Thompson and American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers in a statement.

“As much as the President and EPA claim to have ‘eased’ their approach, nothing could be further from the truth,” they continued.

“This regulation will make new gas-powered vehicles unavailable or prohibitively expensive for most Americans. For them, this wildly unpopular policy is going to feel and function like a ban.”

They said they are prepared to challenge the new regulations in court.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.