Joe Biden has dealt another blow to US petrol car makers after their stuttering rollout of electric vehicle charging points was branded “pathetic”.
The Department of Transportation told automakers they have eight years to squeeze another 16 miles per gallon out of their cars if they want to stay in business, while the fuel efficiency of their trucks will have to double.
Friday’s edict came just weeks after the EPA lowered tailpipe emissions limits as part of the White House’s commitment to ensure that more than half of all new vehicles sold are electric by 2032.
But the administration admitted last week that only seven electric vehicle charging stations have been built since a $5 billion program was approved in 2021.
“That’s just pathetic,” Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said at a Senate hearing Wednesday. “Something is terribly wrong and it needs to be fixed.”
President Joe Biden has demanded that 56 percent of all new vehicles sold be electric vehicles by 2032.
But electric vehicles accounted for just 7.6 percent of new car sales last year amid continuing concerns about range, cost and reliability.
The latest rules impose average miles-per-gallon limits across manufacturers’ product lines, so making more electric vehicles will make it easier for them to meet targets.
Its passenger cars will have to travel an average of 65 miles per gallon by 2031, up from 48.7 miles today.
Pickups and sport utility vehicles will have to travel an average of 45 miles instead of the current 35.1 miles.
But heavy trucks and large vans will have to nearly double their fuel efficiency from 18.8 to 35 miles per gallon.
The tough new regulations are designed to save almost eight billion tonnes of carbon emissions by mid-century and have been welcomed by environmentalists and health activists.
“Today’s final rule is another important step toward reducing carbon pollution and climate change,” said Harold Wimmer of the American Lung Association.
But 25 red states have filed a lawsuit challenging new tailpipe rules that they fear will destroy jobs.
“The Biden Administration is willing to sacrifice the American auto industry and its workers in service of its radical green agenda,” said Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman.
‘We just don’t believe it. “Demand for electric vehicles continues to fall, and even those who want to buy them can’t afford it amid historic inflation.”
Tesla’s Cybertruck was launched earlier this year, but was plagued with problems. In April all models were recalled due to a defect that caused the accelerator pedals to get stuck.
Electric car adoption has stalled in many parts of the United States: Only 3 percent of new sales are electric vehicles in some states.
Electric vehicles accounted for just 7.6 percent of new car sales last year and the market has been faltering in recent months, as electric vehicles remain about $6,000 more expensive than a similar car powered by gasoline.
The average model dropped in price nine percent last year, but still cost an average of $55,252 in April, according to industry bible Kelley Blue Book.
In some states, electric vehicles account for just 3 percent of new car sales, and a survey last month found that owners drive them 20 percent less than gasoline-powered cars, amid fears that the lack of charging points can leave its drivers stranded.
Biden’s $1 trillion Inflation Reduction Act introduced a goal of having 500,000 charging points across the United States by 2030, but fewer than 183,000 were operational as of early this year.
“Range anxiety and charging infrastructure are a priority for EV drivers, and those factors will likely limit how far owners will drive them,” said Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars.
And the technology’s teething problems mean drivers face 79 percent more problems than those with combustion engines, according to a Consumer Reports survey of more than 330,000 car owners in April.
The research said electric vehicle owners most frequently reported problems with the battery and charging systems, as well as failures in body panels and the fit of interior parts.
The battle over electric vehicles looks set to take center stage ahead of November’s presidential election, when Donald Trump dismisses Biden’s goals as the “new green scam.”
The Republican has vowed to reverse Biden’s climate policies, including federal support for electric vehicles.
“We want to get rid of the electric mandate for cars,” he said Thursday at a rally in Arizona.
“If you want to buy a different type of car, you have to have a choice.”
According to a survey conducted by market analysts Edmunds in April, drivers have four main demands for electric vehicle manufacturers: lower prices, higher ranges, a better choice of models and more offerings from trusted brands.
Donald Trump has dismissed the White House push for electric vehicles as a “new green scam” and pledged to cut federal funding if elected in November. “We want to get rid of the electric mandate for cars,” he said Thursday at a rally in Arizona.
Gasoline-powered classic cars like this Mustang will remain on America’s roads for the foreseeable future, but manufacturers are under increasing pressure to shift production to electric vehicles.
“The electric vehicle market is growing, but consumers have enough reservations about current options and charging infrastructure challenges to limit more significant growth in the near term,” said analyst Jessica Caldwell.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg defended the new emissions standards.
“These new standards will not only save Americans money at the pump every time they fill up, but they will also decrease harmful pollution and make the United States less dependent on foreign oil,” he said in a statement.
“These standards will save car owners more than $600 in gasoline costs over the life of their vehicle.”