US finalizes lower fuel economy target for 2031 vehicles

The US Transportation Department finalized a reset of federal fuel economy standards on Monday, 28 September. Its new rule projects a fleet average of 34.9 miles per gallon for model year 2031 vehicles, compared with a 50.4 mpg target under the previous administration. The standards cover passenger cars and light trucks, with other changes to vehicle classification and the way manufacturers can trade compliance credits.

The department says the rule will lower the average price of a new vehicle by about $1,300 and give automakers more freedom to sell the models customers choose. Those figures are government projections, not measured savings for people buying cars today. The department also says credit trading will end beginning with model year 2028, while revised criteria for classifying some vehicles will begin in model year 2030.

The policy changes the balance between purchase price, fuel use and pollution. Less demanding efficiency standards can reduce the cost of complying with the rule, while vehicles that use more fuel could cost owners more to run and increase emissions compared with the earlier target. Actual effects will depend on what automakers build and what consumers buy. The final decision is a major reversal of the previous US approach to cutting fuel consumption from new vehicles.