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Buttigieg Criticizes Trump's Rollback of Fuel-Economy Standards
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In Short: Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a Democrat who served in the Biden administration, criticized the Trump administration's rollback of fuel-economy standards, saying it could leave drivers paying more over time and give China an advantage.
Buttigieg challenged the administration's claim that the change would make vehicles more affordable. The Transportation Department says the new standards could cut the price of a new vehicle by about $1,300, but Buttigieg argued that this figure does not fully account for higher fuel costs or tariffs affecting the auto industry.
The administration estimates drivers could pay about $1,600 more in fuel costs over the life of a vehicle, a figure Buttigieg said was not fully accounted for in the administration's calculations.
The Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, standards require carmakers to meet certain fuel-economy benchmarks as an average across their entire fleets.
Buttigieg said the industry has historically resisted tougher fuel-economy rules before adapting to them. He warned that weaker standards could slow U.S. innovation and competitiveness.
American automakers have broadly welcomed the rollback, saying the previous standards were out of step with consumer demand.
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- "Anything that means less innovation is going to help hand that advantage to China," Buttigieg said.