Biden Administration’s EV Goals Set to Be Released

Early reporting indicates that the administration will create aggressive standards.

April 11, 2023

The Associated Press reports that the Biden administration will propose strict new automobile pollution limits this week that would require at least 54% of new vehicles sold in the U.S. to be electric by 2030 and as many as two of every three by 2032.

The regulations will be released tomorrow by the EPA.

The New York Times broke the story, and the ambitious numbers are being applauded by environmental groups. However, as the AP notes, “the plan is likely to get strong pushback from the auto industry, which pledged in August 2021 to make EVs half of U.S. new car sales by 2030 as it moves toward a history-making transition away from internal combustion engines.”

The administration also wants automakers to raise gas mileage and cut tailpipe pollution between now and model year 2026. That would mark a significant step toward meeting Biden’s pledge to cut America’s greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.

Electric vehicles accounted for just 7.2% of U.S. vehicle sales in the first quarter of this year. The industry has a long way to go to even approach the administration’s targets.

The EPA said in a statement that, as directed by Biden’s order, it is “developing new standards that will ... accelerate the transition to a zero-emissions transportation future, protecting people and the planet.”

On April 18, the U.S. Treasury Department will release rules for new federal electric vehicle tax credits.

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