Gutting Fuel Economy Standards Will Raise Drivers’ Costs

The Trump administration’s final rule today lowering fuel economy standards for passenger cars will increase costs for drivers currently stuck spending over $1.5 billion a day on gasoline.

“Gutting fuel economy standards means wasting fuel and spending more for every mile traveled,” said Rachel Aland, transportation director at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). “Efficient vehicles use less gas, saving drivers money every time they fill up. With families already feeling the squeeze of high gas prices, it makes no sense to roll back efficiency standards and lock in higher fueling costs for years to come.”

The Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is rolling back Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards finalized in 2024. The new standards cut average fuel economy required by 2031 across manufacturers’ new vehicles from 50.4 miles per gallon (mpg) to only 34.9 mpg—below the 35.4 mpg already achieved by new cars and light trucks in 2024. The standards NHTSA is eliminating would have saved owners of personal vehicles an average of more than $600 in fuel costs over the life of a new vehicle.