Fully Restored Clean Car Standards Will Help Reduce Long-Term Oil Consumption

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finalized on Friday its fuel economy rule. The revised federal Clean Car Standards will make future cars more efficient and drive innovation toward cleaner technologies, such as electric vehicles. Finalizing this rule was the last step the Biden administration needed to take to reverse the previous administration's rollback of the federal Clean Car Standards.

Experts from Environment America and U.S. PIRG issued the following statement:

"Fuel economy standards have thrust the auto industry forward over the past 50 years ensuring our cars pollute less and go further on each gallon of gasoline," said Environment America Destination: Zero Carbon Director Morgan Folger. "Americans use too much oil, which burns up into dangerous pollution that harms our lungs and traps more heat in our atmosphere. As the market shifts to zero-emission electric vehicles, these rules are essential to make sure every fossil fuel-powered vehicle that remains is having as little impact on our warming climate as possible. Thank you Secretary Buttigieg for restoring Clean Car Standards that push the industry to innovate and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels."

"As a result of America's over reliance on fossil fuels, our transportation sector now produces more global warming pollution than any other part of the economy. If we want clean air and a healthy climate, we need to reduce our transportation-related emissions and reduce our use of oil," said U.S. PIRG Environment Campaigns Director Matt Casale. "By setting stronger Clean Car Standards, the Biden administration is taking important action that will help us avoid burning more gasoline that is fueling the climate crisis and harming our health."