Biden administration cracks down on gasoline-fueled cars — RT World News
The US environmental regulator has finalized rules that could see electric vehicles' market share increase ninefold
US President Joe Biden's administration has followed through on its pledge to accelerate the phase-out of internal combustion engine cars, unveiling new emissions rules that could force the country's auto industry to be dominated by electric vehicles in less than a decade.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its new emissions standards for passenger vehicles on Wednesday, setting limits that will begin tightening in 2027 and decline further through 2032. The agency said that under one scenario, its 2032 standards could be met if 56% of cars New trucks sold are electric vehicles and 13% are hybrid vehicles.
Electric vehicles accounted for just 7.6% of new car sales in the United States last year, which means the new rules could require a nine-fold increase in market share for this segment. EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the guidelines are designed to allow automakers to choose which emissions control technologies they will use to be compliant. However, the industry has already largely abandoned hydrogen fuel cells to power its cars, so electric vehicles are the primary solution.
“With transportation being the largest source of climate emissions in the United States, our strongest-ever automobile pollution standards solidify America’s leadership in building a clean transportation future and creating good-paying American jobs — all while advancing President Biden’s historic climate agenda.” Regan said. He claimed that the new mandates would reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by more than 7 billion tons over the next three decades.
It's not clear whether the EPA's estimates include the emissions that would result from increased electricity generation to charge millions of new electric vehicles. Coal, natural gas and other fossil fuels accounted for about 60% of the country's power generation last year, according to the US Energy Information Administration. As the EPA has acknowledged, studies have shown that the production of electric vehicles and their batteries generates higher emissions than the production of conventional cars.
Critics of the new mandates have argued that Biden is essentially forcing American consumers to buy cars that many don't want or can't afford. “It is the Biden administration that decides for Americans what type of cars they are allowed to buy, rent and drive.” “The new rules are imposed,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican from West Virginia 'Unrealistic transfer' for electric vehicles and threatens a power grid already weakened by EPA-led fossil fuel generator shutdowns.
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