Trump administration plans to gut clean car rules

The Trump administration plans to sharply scale back U.S. fuel-efficiency standards for new cars and light trucks, a move expected to weaken federal mileage rules that have pushed automakers toward higher fuel economy and more electric vehicles. President Donald Trump said Saturday he approved new Fuel Economy Standards, while Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the final announcement is set for Monday. The proposed rule, issued in December, would require 34.5 mpg on average for model year 2031 versus 50.4 mpg under standards set by the Biden administration. Trump framed it as reducing prices, but Congress already removed penalties, making the rollback largely symbolic. With gas averaging $4.48 a gallon on Saturday after U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran began in February, the shift could also affect competition as EV sales accelerate abroad.