EV purchases are expected to surge after US unveils toughest ever car emissions rule
President Joe Biden further accelerated the nation’s switch to electric vehicles by announcing two proposed federal rule changes aimed at reducing greenhouse gases and other pollutants in motor vehicle emissions.
The changes, announced on April 12, would affect virtually all gasoline-powered vehicles on U.S. highways, save consumers an estimated $12,000 in fuel and maintenance costs over the life of a vehicle, and avoid almost 10 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions through 2055, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The move aims to further the president’s goal of having 50 percent of all new cars and light trucks and 30 percent of new medium- and heavy-duty trucks sold in 2030 be zero-emission vehicles. Electric vehicles (EVs) are considered zero-emission vehicles.
The EPA estimates that approval of these rules would result in 67 percent of new passenger vehicles and light trucks being EVs by 2032, along with 50 percent of buses, 35 percent of short-haul freight tractors, and 25 percent of long-haul freight tractors.
Critics have claimed that the move, which will increase the price of new cars, was made without consideration of the ability of the nation’s supply chain to meet the demand.
The Biden administration has spent roughly $31 billion on the development of so-called clean transportation over the past two years, including the development of a network of EV charging stations, improving the supply chain for materials needed to produce EV batteries, and making loans to companies that manufacture EVs and EV components in the United States.
U.S. car manufacturers and a number of states have been voluntarily moving the market toward electric-powered vehicles.
General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis—the maker of Chrysler, Fiat, Ram, and Jeep brands—stated in 2021 that they would aim to reach EV sales of at least 40 percent of all their new vehicle sales by 2030.
The rule change comes 10 months after six major automakers pledged to stop selling gas and diesel-powered cars worldwide by 2040.
In November 2021, Ford, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Jaguar Land Rover, and Chinese automaker BYD pledged to stop selling diesel-powered cars worldwide by 2040.
In 2022, the state of Washington followed California in announcing a ban on the sale of new gasoline-powered cars in the state by 2035.
Washington enacted a law in 2020 to follow California’s vehicle emissions standards. Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington D.C. also have adopted California’s vehicle emission standards.