The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in July proposed raising Corporate Average Fuel Economy car requirements by 2 per cent and by 4 per cent for trucks and SUVs annually between 2027 and 2032. Tesla wants the agency to finalize rules increasing stringency for cars by 6 per cent annually and 8 per cent for trucks and SUVs, saying it would best"conserve energy and address climate change.
The American Automotive Policy Council, a group representing the Detroit Three automakers, separately urged NHTSA to halve its proposed fuel economy increases to 2 per cent annually for trucks, saying the proposal"would disproportionately impact the truck fleet." NHTSA said in response its rule"is focused on saving Americans money at the gas pump and strengthening American energy independence" and estimated the combined benefits of the proposal exceed costs by more than $18 billion.
Toyota said on Tuesday the fines are"proof that there is insufficient technology to meet the proposed standards and that such standards have been set beyond maximum feasible."U.S. automakers separately have warned the fines would cost GM $6.5 billion, Stellantis $3.1 billion and Ford $1 billion, citing NHTSA's projections.