Biden seeks to boost fuel economy to thwart Trump rollback

The Biden administration wants automakers to raise gas mileage and cut tailpipe pollution between now and model year 2026

DETROIT -- The Biden administration wants automakers to raise gas mileage and cut tailpipe pollution between now and model year 2026, and it has won a voluntary commitment from the industry that electric vehicles comprise up to half of U.S. sales by the end of the decade. The moves are big steps toward President Joe Biden’s pledge to cut emissions and battle climate change as he pushes to shift the nation away from internal combustion engines to battery-powered vehicles. The administration on Thursday announced there would be new mileage and anti-pollution standards from the Environmental Protection Agency and Transportation Department. In addition, it said the auto industry had agreed to a goal that 40% to 50% of new vehicle sales be electric by 2030. Both the regulatory standards and the voluntary target will be included in an executive order that Biden plans to sign later Thursday.