New standards are coming for tailpipe emissions in the next few years. An announcement from the Biden administration this week unveiled the rules, which look to remove more than seven billion tons of carbon and other pollutants from our air.
Vehicle emissions account for 28 percent of the United State’s greenhouse gases, and the new standards are said to help reduce that number while saving nearly $100 billion in healthcare costs and billions more in fuel and other vehicle costs. The Biden administration has a goal of cutting emissions by 50 percent or more from 2005 levels by 2030.
The EPA proposed similar rules, but the Biden administration’s plan is slightly less ambitious after the United Auto Workers Union and automakers pushed back on the agency’s ideas. Biden’s plan rolls out between 2027 and 2029 before ramping up between 2030 and 2032. However, rather than relying solely on EVs to cut tailpipe emissions as initially suggested by the EPA, the new plan includes a range of electrified and even efficient gas engines to ease emissions.
It’s not a mandate to force automakers to build EVs — instead, the new rules will be stricter than at present. It will be up to automakers to figure out how to comply.
The UAW praised the announcement, saying “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.”
Industry leaders have opposed an EV-only path forward, citing wavering demand and high prices.
[Image: Lucasimage via Shutterstock]
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