Trump EPA begins rolling back Biden EV ‘mandate’ in ‘biggest day of deregulation in American history’

WASHINGTON — President Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency began the process Wednesday of rescinding vehicle fuel efficiency standards that Republicans have called a de facto “electric vehicle mandate,” The Post has learned.

An administration official said dozens of additional regulatory rollbacks loomed on what would be “the biggest day of deregulation in American history.”

The EPA is re-evaluating policies enacted last year by the Biden administration meant to reduce emissions for light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles.

The estimated regulatory and compliance cost of the current rules comes to $700 billion.

“The American auto industry has been hamstrung by the crushing regulatory regime of the last administration,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin told The Post.

“As we reconsider nearly $1 trillion of regulatory costs, we will abide by the rule of law to protect consumer choice and the environment.”

The rollback is being pursued under the Administrative Procedure Act, which lays out a process of public notice and comment periods before a final decision is made.

The Biden administration in March 2024 finalized a rule to require carmakers to dramatically reduce carbon emissions beginning for model year 2027 light and medium-size vehicles.

The EPA said at the time that the rules required that by model year 2032 there be a “nearly 50% reduction in projected fleet average [greenhouse gas] emissions levels for light-duty vehicles and 44% reductions for medium-duty vehicles.”

Biden-era EPA leadership argued that although the tighter standards would add to compliance costs, there would be “$100 billion of annual net benefits to society, including $13 billion of annual public health benefits due to improved air quality, and $62 billion in reduced annual fuel costs.”

The agency also argued last year that “manufacturers have the discretion to choose the mix of technologies that achieve compliance across their fleets” — meaning that they could manufacture more electric vehicles and hybrids while still making traditional fossil fuels-powered cars.

Republicans scoffed at the claim, arguing that carmakers would be forced to dramatically overhaul their offerings.

In the second half of 2024, just 8.7% of new cars sold were electric, according to Kelley Blue Book data. Hybrid and electric vehicles combined made up about 20% of the new-car market last year.

A similarly sweeping emissions policy was revealed last year for new trucks and tractors, drawing concern about the ability of companies to comply without significant economic impact.

Those rules would apply to smaller work trucks by model year 2027, with a 17% tightening of carbon dioxide emissions standards for light work trucks taking effect and a 13% cut for medium-size commercial trucks.

By model year 2032, work trucks and tractors would have to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by between 25% and 60%, depending on weight category.

Zeldin, a Republican former Long Island congressman, announced the moves one day after Trump publicly purchased a Tesla electric vehicle from CEO Elon Musk on the White House driveway.

Trump campaigned on scrapping Biden’s fuel efficiency rules by arguing that consumers should have the option of buying gasoline or diesel-fueled vehicles without government interference.

“Some people like the gasoline — and they should have their options,” Trump said Tuesday. “I’m all about options.”