The Biden administration has finalized Environmental Protection Agency rules that usher in the "strongest-ever pollution standards for cars," according to the agency. The rules, described by the Washington Post as Biden's "most far-reaching climate regulation yet," require steep emissions cuts that will speed up the transition to electric vehicles. But some requirements have been loosened from the proposed plan unveiled last April. More:
- What the rules cover. The rules cover light- and medium-duty vehicles, including vans and pickup trucks, from model years 2027 to 2032, bringing in an emissions target of roughly 50% of the level set for the 2026 model year, NPR reports. Instead of banning gas-powered cars or making electric vehicles mandatory, the EPA is setting standards for a manufacturer's entire fleet, meaning it can still offer higher-emission vehicles. But the "menu" is likely to shift toward cleaner vehicles, per NPR.
- Not a mandate. EPA Administrator Michael Regan pushed back against claims that the rule is a mandate for electric vehicles, the AP reports. "You know, maybe some would like for it to be an EV mandate, but that clearly is not the case, when you look at the multiple pathways companies can choose to comply with the rule," he said.