WASHINGTON (AP) – The Biden administration this week announced tough new legislation mandating that at least 54% of new cars sold in the U.S. be electric by 2030 and up to two in three by 2032, according to industry. The plan is to propose new regulations on vehicle pollution. Environmental officials were then briefed on the plan.
Proposed regulations the Environmental Protection Agency will release Wednesday would set even stricter greenhouse gas emissions limits for passenger cars from 2027 to 2032. Targets agreed to by the automotive industry in 2021.
Officials said the agency plans to provide a range of options from which the agency can choose after a public comment period. The person requested anonymity because the proposal has not been made public. The proposed regulations are not expected to be finalized until next year.
Environmental groups have praised the ambitious numbers, which were first reported over the weekend by The New York Times. However, this plan is likely to face strong opposition from the auto industry. In August 2021, the auto industry pledged to make half of all new car sales in the United States electric by 2030, in a historic move away from internal combustion engines.
Even the lower end of the EPA’s 2030 goal is 4 points higher than the 2021 goal, which was set under intense pressure from President Joe Biden.Ann Executive order signed by Biden sets goal for half of new cars sold in 2030 Be a zero-emission vehicle, including a battery electric vehicle, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or fuel cell electric vehicle.
Biden is also calling on automakers to improve fuel efficiency and reduce tailpipe pollution between now and the 2026 model year. This would be an important step toward fulfilling Biden’s campaign promise. Cut America’s greenhouse gas emissions, which cause global warming, in half by 2030 It is pushing the transition from gasoline engines to battery-powered vehicles, something that was once almost unthinkable.
Electric vehicles accounted for just 7.2% of U.S. auto sales in the first quarter of this year, and the industry has a long way to go to reach the administration’s goals. However, the proportion of EVs in sales is on the rise. It accounted for 5.8% of new car sales last year.
The EPA declined to provide details ahead of Wednesday’s announcement, but said in a statement that in line with President Biden’s order, it will “develop new standards to accelerate the transition to the future of zero-emission transportation and protect people and the planet.” “I am doing so,” he said. ”
The EPA’s tailpipe pollution limits don’t actually mandate a certain number of electric vehicles to be sold each year, but instead mandate limits on greenhouse gas emissions. That’s about the same amount, according to government agency calculations of the number of EVs likely to be needed to comply with stricter pollution limits.
The auto industry will likely need to sell more EVs to meet requirements. Thanks to measures such as making engines and transmissions more efficient and making them lighter, the mileage of gasoline-powered cars is already increasing. Many industry players say they want to spend their investment money on developing new EVs that are likely to dominate the industry in the coming years.
But the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, an industry group that includes Ford, General Motors and other automakers, proposed putting a brake on the optimism that rulemaking alone would significantly improve emissions. “Regulatory mandates alone will not address significant improvements in emissions.” It will ultimately determine whether the transition to EVs is successful or not. ”
The group said the EPA’s proposal “requires a sweeping, 100-year transformation of America’s industrial base and the way Americans drive.”
In a statement before the EPA rule was released, the coalition said supportive policies such as tax credits for EV purchases and funding for a nationwide network of charging stations are needed. The statement said there is a need to make EVs more affordable, establish supply chains for components and domestic critical minerals, and address utility generation capacity.
Transportation is the single largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States, followed closely by electricity generation.
Environmental groups say stricter tailpipe pollution standards are needed. Drastic inflation control method Those passed last year will help you meet more stringent requirements. “Exhaust emissions pollute the air we breathe and worsen severe weather,” Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp said in a statement.
The Climate Change and Health Care Act, the Inflation Control Act, passed with only Democratic votes, provides tax credits for the production of electric vehicles and the purchase of new and used cars.
Currently, many new EVs manufactured in North America are eligible for a $7,500 tax credit, and used EVs are eligible for up to a $4,000 tax credit.
However, there are price and buyer income restrictions, and some vehicles are not eligible. And from April 18th, Due to new requirements from the Treasury Department, As a result, fewer new electric vehicles will be eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit.
The rules require that a certain percentage of battery components and minerals be sourced from North America or countries with which the U.S. has free trade agreements. Industry analysts say the requirements announced March 31 could cut the $7,500 credit in half on many vehicles. Fewer credits may not be enough to attract new buyers of EVs, which currently have an average price of $58,600, according to Kelley Blue Book.
Prices are down from $63,500 a year ago as lower-priced EV models come onto the market. Still, EVs cost more than the average vehicle sold in the U.S., which costs just under $46,000.
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Krisher reported from Detroit.