2021-17496: Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards for Model Years 2024-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks

Summary

NHTSA, on behalf of the Department of Transportation, is proposing revised fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks for model years 2024-2026. On January 20, 2021, President Biden signed an Executive order (E.O.) entitled, "Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis." In it, the President directed that "The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks" (hereafter, "the 2020 final rule") be immediately reviewed for consistency with our Nation's abiding commitment to empower our workers and communities; promote and protect our public health and the environment; and conserve our national treasures and monuments, places that secure our national memory. President Biden further directed that the 2020 final rule be reviewed at once and that (in this case) the Secretary of Transportation consider "suspending, revising, or rescinding" it, via a new proposal, by July 2021. Because of the President's direction in the E.O., NHTSA reexamined the 2020 final rule under its authority to set corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards. In doing so, NHTSA tentatively concluded that the fuel economy standards set in 2020 should be revised so that they increase at a rate of 8 percent year over year for each model year from 2024 through 2026, for both passenger cars and light trucks. This responds to the agency's statutory mandate to improve energy conservation. This proposal also makes certain minor changes to fuel economy reporting requirements.

The agency’s own summary, as published.

What this changes

Amends 4 parts of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

• 49 CFR 531 Passenger Automobile Average Fuel Economy Standards
• 49 CFR 533 Light Truck Fuel Economy Standards
• 49 CFR 536 Transfer and Trading of Fuel Economy Credits
• 49 CFR 537 Automotive Fuel Economy Reports