WASHINGTON (June 7, 2024)—Today, the National Highway Transportation Safety Agency (NHTSA) released a final rule setting fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks sold in 2027 and beyond. These new, stronger standards are an important policy that will continue to save drivers money at the pump and cut oil use, though stronger rules would have pushed manufacturers to offer consumers even cleaner vehicles, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).
Below is a statement by Steven Higashide, director of the Clean Transportation Program at UCS.
“Transportation is the largest source of global warming emissions in the country, as well as a major source of health-endangering air pollution, and that’s because so much of our transportation is fueled by oil. The best way to reduce the harm caused by transportation pollution is simply to burn less oil. That’s what fuel economy standards are for. Strong standards ensure automakers are putting cleaner, more efficient vehicles—including electric vehicles—on the market.
“We can build the clean and equitable transportation system that we need with policies that include effective fuel economy standards, along with the emission standards, investments in infrastructure and consumer incentives that have been rolled out in recent years. These standards must continue to get stronger in the years to come. Federal agencies, state governments, and automakers all have a role to play in making sure people across the country can affordably and efficiently get where they need to go, while cutting dangerous pollution.”