US Finalizes Rule Lowering Vehicle Fuel Economy Targets to 34.9 MPG by 2031

The U.S. Department of Transportation has finalized a rule that significantly weakens federal fuel efficiency requirements for passenger vehicles, calling the move “among the largest deregulatory actions under the second Trump Administration.”

Under the finalized policy, automakers will be required to meet a fleetwide average fuel economy of 34.9 miles per gallon by model year 2031. That requirement sits just above the 30.1 mpg target previously established for model year 2024.

The decision rolls back standards set under the Biden administration that would have mandated a fleet average of 50.4 mpg by model year 2031, as reported by The Verge (https://www.theverge.com/news/1001610/trump-weakens-fuel-efficiency-standards).

The Trump administration claimed the change will reduce the average purchase price of a new vehicle by $1,300 and save $138 billion over five years, though those figures have been disputed. While automakers supported the regulatory relief, the rollback drew sharp pushback from consumer advocacy, healthcare, and environmental organizations.

Opponents argued that lower efficiency targets will increase fuel costs for drivers while worsening air pollution and climate-related damage. The rescinded Biden-era standards were projected to save $23 billion in fuel costs overall and more than $600 in gasoline per vehicle over its operational lifetime.

“For decades, fuel economy standards have ensured that new cars, SUVs and pickup trucks are more efficient, which saves lives and money,” Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the American Lung Association, said in an emailed statement. “There is no reason to weaken standards that are technologically feasible and have a direct benefit for the quality of the air people breathe.”