But last year, all-electric vehicles accounted for just 5.8 percent of new cars sold in the United States. Last year, Biden signed legislation designed to encourage Americans to buy more electric vehicles by providing up to $7,500 in tax credits to buyers, but many foreign-made vehicles are not eligible for the tax credits.
Experts say the new regulation provides an essential stick to accompany the carrot of tax incentives. Achieving the administration’s goals could be more difficult if auto companies succeed in weakening the rule. The Environmental Protection Agency published its proposed rule earlier this spring and is in the process of soliciting public comment before finalizing and implementing the rule by the first half of next year.
Concerns from auto companies are expected to influence the final rule, particularly as Biden campaigns for re-election in politically critical auto-making states like Michigan and Ohio.
Background: The latest in a long fight for the future of the automobile.
The rejection of the rule is the latest in a year of back and forth between Washington and the auto industry over climate pollution.
Former President Barack Obama first raised fuel economy standards in an effort to push for a transition to electric vehicles, securing the grudging support of the country’s Big Three automakers at the time because his administration had just brought them out of bankruptcy. during the global economic crisis. crisis.
Later, President Donald J. Trump rolled back the Obama-era rules so far that even some automakers protested that he had gone too far. Since then, Biden has sought to reinstate and expand Obama’s rules. In 2021, he signed an executive order pledging to follow policies to ensure that at least half of all new cars sold in the United States are all-electric by 2030.
But his administration caught the auto industry by surprise this spring with a proposed rule that went much further. His proposal calls for 67 percent of new light passenger vehicle sales, from sedans to pickup trucks, to be fully electric by 2032.
Whats Next: Will the EPA lower its targets?
Regulators in the Biden administration are expected to weigh public comments before reviewing and finalizing the proposals. Historically, many proposed environmental rules have been relaxed to accommodate industry concerns.
The automotive lobby group said it is not opposed to all regulations designed to speed up the transition to electric vehicles, but suggested in its comments that the Biden administration lower its target to 40 or 50 percent of electric sales by 2030, in 67 percent place by 2030. 2032 proposed by current rule.
in a blog postJohn Bozzella, the group’s president, suggested that the Biden administration include plug-in hybrid vehicles in its goal, rather than push such rapid adoption of all-electric vehicles. Plug-in hybrids use internal combustion engines in combination with battery power.
Representatives for the White House and the Environmental Protection Agency did not return emails seeking comment.
