Joe Biden has dealt another blow to US petrol car makers after his stuttering rollout of EV charging points was branded ‘pathetic’.
The Department of Transportation told automakers they have eight years to squeeze another 16 miles per gallon out of their cars if they want to stay in business — while the fuel efficiency of their trucks will have to double.
Friday’s edict came just weeks after the EPA lowered tailpipe emissions limits as part of the White House’s pledge to ensure that more than half of all new vehicles sold will be electric by 2032.
But the government admitted last week that only seven EV charging stations have been built since a $5 billion program was signed in 2021.
“That’s just pathetic,” Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said during a Senate hearing on Wednesday. “Something is terribly wrong and it needs to be fixed.”
President Joe Biden has demanded that 56 percent of all new vehicles sold will be electric by 2032
But electric vehicles accounted for just 7.6 percent of new car sales last year, despite persistent concerns about range, cost and reliability.
The latest rules impose limits on average miles per gallon across all manufacturers’ product lines, so if they make more electric vehicles, they will find it easier to meet the targets.
Their passenger cars will need to average 65 miles per gallon by 2031, compared to 78.7 miles today.
Pick-ups and SUVs will have to travel an average of 70 kilometers instead of the current 57 kilometers.
But heavy-duty pickup trucks and full-size vans will need to nearly double their fuel efficiency, from 20 to 35 miles per gallon.
The tough new regulations aim to cut almost eight billion tonnes of CO2 emissions by mid-century and have been welcomed by environmentalists and health campaigners.
“Today’s final rule is another important step toward reducing carbon pollution and mitigating climate change,” said Harold Wimmer of the American Lung Association.
But 25 Red states have filed a lawsuit against the new exhaust rules that they fear will destroy jobs.
“The Biden administration is willing to sacrifice the American auto industry and its workers in service of its radical green agenda,” Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said.
‘We just don’t buy it. Demand for electric vehicles continues to decline, and even those who want to buy one can’t afford to do so amid historic inflation.”
Tesla’s Cybertruck was released earlier this year but was plagued with problems. In April, all models were recalled due to a defect that caused the accelerator pedals to seize
Electric car adoption has stalled in many parts of America – in some states, only 3 percent of new sales are EVs
Electric vehicles accounted for just 7.6 percent of new car sales last year and the market has faltered in recent months as electric cars remain about $6,000 more expensive than a comparable gasoline-powered car.
The average model dropped nine percent in price last year, but still cost an average of $55,252 in April, according to industry bible Kelley Blue Book.
In some states, electric cars account for just 3 percent of new car sales, and a survey last month found that owners are driving them 20 percent less than gas-powered cars, amid fears that a lack of charging stations could mean their drivers stranded.
Biden’s $1 trillion Inflation Reduction Act introduced a goal of having 500,000 charging stations in the US by 2030, but fewer than 183,000 were operational at the start of this year.
“Concerns about range and charging infrastructure are top-of-mind for EV drivers, and those factors likely limit how far owners will drive them,” said Karl Brauer, iSeeCars Executive Analyst.
And the technology’s teething problems mean that drivers experience 79 percent more problems than drivers with combustion engines, according to a Consumer Reports survey of more than 330,000 car owners in April.
The research shows that EV owners most often report problems with battery and charging systems, as well as defects in body panels and the fit of interior parts.
The battle over electric vehicles appears to be taking center stage ahead of November’s presidential election, with Donald Trump dismissing Biden’s targets as the ‘green new scam’.
The Republican has pledged to reverse Biden’s climate policies, including federal support for electric vehicles.
“We want to get rid of the electric mandate for cars,” he said at a rally in Arizona on Thursday.
‘If you want to buy a different kind of car, then you should. You have to have a choice.’
According to a survey by market analyst Edmunds in April, motorists have four main demands from EV manufacturers: lower prices, a wider range, a better choice of models and more selection from trusted brands.
Donald Trump has dismissed the White House’s push for electric cars as the “green new scam” and vowed to cut federal funding if he is elected in November. “We want to get rid of the electric mandate for cars,” he said at a rally in Arizona on Thursday.
Classic gasoline-powered cars like this Mustang will continue to hit American roads for the foreseeable future, but makers are under increasing pressure to switch production to electric cars
“The electric vehicle market is growing, but consumers have enough reservations about current charging infrastructure options and challenges to limit more significant growth in the near term,” said analyst Jessica Caldwell.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg defended the new emissions standards.
“These new standards will not only save Americans money every time they fill up, they will also reduce harmful pollution and make America less dependent on foreign oil,” he said in a statement.
“These standards will save car owners more than $600 in gas costs over the life of their vehicle.”