WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is expected to announce a proposal Wednesday to weaken vehicle mileage rules for the auto industry, loosening regulatory pressure on automakers to control pollution from gasoline-powered cars and trucks, according to several people familiar with the White House plans.
The proposal would significantly reduce fuel economy requirements, which set rules on how far new vehicles need to travel on a gallon of gasoline, through the 2031 model year, according to a White House official and several people familiar with the plan. They were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly because the proposal has not been announced and spoke on condition of anonymity. Further details were not immediately available.
The move would be the latest action by the Trump administration to reverse Biden-era policies that encouraged cleaner-running cars and trucks, including electric vehicles. Burning gasoline for vehicles is a major contributor to planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. The Republican administration said the new rules would increase Americans’ access to the full range of gasoline vehicles they need and can afford.
FILE – Vehicles are seen at the Mercedes-Benz Vehicle Preparation Center at the Port of Baltimore, where new Mercedes-Benz vehicle imports are processed before distribution to dealerships, March 27, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)
Trump is set to announce the plan at a White House event that is expected to include top executives from the three largest U.S. automakers, who have praised the planned changes.
Since taking office in January, Trump has relaxed auto tailpipe emissions rules, repealed fines for automakers that do not meet federal mileage standards and terminated consumer credits of up to $7,500 for EV purchases.
Ford CEO Jim Farley said in a statement Wednesday that the planned rollback was “a win for customers and common sense.”
“As America’s largest auto producer, we appreciate President Trump’s leadership in aligning fuel economy standards with market realities. We can make real progress on carbon emissions and energy efficiency while still giving customers choice and affordability,” Farley said.
Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa said the automaker appreciates the administration’s actions to “realign” the standards.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urged his agency to reverse existing fuel economy requirements, known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy, soon after taking office. In June, he said that standards set under Biden were illegal because they included use of electric vehicles in their calculation. EVs do not run on gasoline. After the June rule revision, the traffic safety agency was empowered to update the requirements.
Under former President Joe Biden, automakers were required to average about 50 miles per gallon of gas for passenger cars by 2031, compared with about 39 miles per gallon today.
The Biden administration also increased fuel-economy requirements by 2% each year for light-duty vehicles in every model year from 2027 to 2031, and 2% per year for SUVs and other light trucks from 2029 to 2031. At the same time, it called for stringent tailpipe rules meant to encourage EV adoption.
The auto industry has complained that both Biden-era rules were difficult to meet.
Mileage rules have been implemented since the 1970s energy crisis, and over time, automakers have gradually increased their vehicles’ average efficiency.