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Senators Urge EPA Not to Roll Back Fuel Economy Target

A group of U.S. Senate Democrats have urged the Trump administration not to abandon plans to require new-car fleets to average more than 50 mpg by 2025.
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A group of U.S. Senate Democrats have urged the Trump administration not to abandon plans to require new-car fleets to average more than 50 mpg by 2025.

The target was agreed to by carmakers in 2011 on condition that the Environmental Protection Agency review the plan by April 2018. The agency completed its review, declaring the goal “feasible and practical,” days before Donald Trump assumed the presidency in January with a vow to review the ruling.

The senators notes that carmakers have exceeded the regulation’s step-by-step increases in fuel efficiency to date. They also point to fuel savings for consumers.

Carmakers oppose the rapid escalation of fuel economy standards between 2022 and 2025 as costly and counter to consumer taste in vehicles. They point out that 95% of today's new vehicles can't meet the future standard.

EPA has estimated carmakers would spend $200 billion to approximately double average fuel economy between 2012 and 2025—but also save consumers some $1.7 trillion in fuel costs.

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