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Trump Administration Proposes Major CAFE Rollback, Targeting 34.5 MPG by 2031

The proposal now heads into public comment with experts and environmental groups challenging the administration’s cost and safety claims.

Overview

  • The plan would cut the 2031 fleetwide fuel-economy goal from about 50.4 mpg to roughly 34.5 mpg, revising the pace of required efficiency gains.
  • The rule would eliminate CAFE credit trading starting with model year 2028 after earlier moves set noncompliance fines to $0, erasing a key EV compliance incentive and revenue stream for some automakers.
  • Ford, GM and Stellantis endorsed the rollback, and GM CEO Mary Barra said the prior targets could have forced plant shutdowns if EV sales failed to grow fast enough.
  • President Trump said he will not reimburse automakers for investments made under Biden-era EV policies.
  • The White House says the reset will reduce vehicle costs and enhance safety, but analysts from Edmunds and ACEEE caution sticker-price relief is uncertain and fuel expenses could rise, while the Sierra Club warns of health impacts.