US releases ‘strongest ever’ car pollution rules in push for EV transition
Al Jazeera
The new environmental regulations fall short of more ambitious goals previously set by the Biden administration.
Washington, DC – The United States has released what it calls the “strongest ever” regulations for car tailpipe pollution, as the country looks to accelerate its sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in an effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
Still, the rules — released on Wednesday — fall short of more ambitious goals previously set by the administration of President Joe Biden.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it projects that the regulations would lead to 30 to 56 percent of new cars being electric between 2030 and 2032. Last year, the EPA projected that EVs would amount to 60 percent of new car sales by 2030 and 67 percent by 2032.
“With transportation as the largest source of US climate emissions, these strongest-ever pollution standards for cars solidify America’s leadership in building a clean transportation future and creating good-paying American jobs, all while advancing President Biden’s historic climate agenda,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.
“The standards will slash over 7 billion tons of climate pollution, improve air quality in overburdened communities, and give drivers more clean vehicle choices while saving them money.”
