Biden eases final fuel economy standards in light of slower electric vehicle adoption

The Biden administration on Friday finalized new fuel economy standards for SUVs and trucks, easing off its initial proposals to better reflect the state of U.S. auto sales and the slower-than-expected pace of electric vehicle adoption.

The final rule, published by the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, requires all light-duty vehicles to average 50.4 miles per gallon by 2031 — slightly less stringent than its 55.7 mpg target proposed last year.