The Biden administration wants to jolt the electric vehicle market by putting the squeeze on automakers in the form of much tougher standards for greenhouse gas emissions.
The standards proposed Wednesday by the EPA for light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles are by far the strictest ever proposed by the agency, which said they’re attainable because of advances in automotive technology. It estimated that through 2055 the standards would avoid nearly 10 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions and save the average consumer $12,000 over the lifetime of a light-duty vehicle.
“This is what we mean when we say that tackling the climate crisis is about creating opportunity. An opportunity to put the United States on a clear path to win the jobs and the industries of the 21st century,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said on a call with reporters. “And we must seize this moment. That’s what President Biden’s historic investments in America are all about and that’s what these performance standards, when finalized, will deliver.”
