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As fuel efficiency targets soared to 50.4 miles per gallon by 2031, carmakers scrambled to comply, resulting in fewer affordable options on the market. Just three years ago, more than 20 vehicle models cost under $25,000. Now? Fewer than 10.
And what’s the outcome? The average new vehicle price skyrocketed to nearly $48,000—out of reach for millions of families.
Sean Duffy Fires Back: “We Are Making Life More Affordable”
In a firm rebuke of Biden’s regulatory overreach, Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has proposed a new rule aimed at rolling back the pressure on automakers. The initiative, titled “Resetting the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Program,” is currently under review by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are making life more affordable with cars made in America again. The Biden-Buttigieg administration illegally used CAFE standards as a backdoor electric vehicle mandate – driving the price of cars up. Resetting CAFE standards as Congress’ intended will lower vehicle costs and ensure the American people can purchase the cars they want,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.
Duffy’s move isn’t just policy—it’s a clear signal that the Trump administration intends to restore sanity to the car market. By restoring the original congressional intent of CAFE standards, Duffy is aiming to free the auto industry from what critics call a legally dubious EV mandate.
A Lifeline for Small Businesses and Rural America
But this new rule isn’t just for everyday commuters—it’s also a lifeline for America’s heartland.
Biden’s fuel standards didn’t just hit sedans and SUVs. They made work trucks, vans, and commercial vehicles harder to afford too. Farmers, contractors, and mom-and-pop shops felt the sting in their wallets, forced to pay more or go without.
The new interpretive rule would also cover medium- and heavy-duty trucks, meaning relief could soon be on the way for small business owners struggling to keep their operations running under the weight of excessive regulation.
Putting the Brakes on Biden’s Electric Fantasy
While the Biden administration touted its emissions targets—64 billion gallons of gasoline saved and 659 million metric tons of emissions cut—those benefits came at a steep cost to the average American.
Electric vehicles, while pushed as the future, remain out of financial reach for many, and logistically impractical for most rural or blue-collar communities. The green utopia promised by the left turned into a nightmare for working families trying to get to work, drop off their kids, or simply make ends meet.
Biden’s approach turned car buyers into casualties of climate extremism. Now, Secretary Duffy’s rule gives power back to the consumer and reins in an agency that, under the Biden administration, arguably ran off the rails.
A Return to Common Sense in Washington
The Trump administration is making one thing crystal clear: it’s done playing defense. The war on working-class Americans is over, and the regulatory swamp is being drained.
This policy shift promises to re-center the car market around what Americans want—not what D.C. elites think they should drive. It’s a sharp course correction from a White House that spent four years putting ideology before affordability.
By tackling the very foundation of Biden’s fuel economy policies, Duffy and President Trump are laying the groundwork for a car market that reflects freedom of choice, market realities, and everyday needs—not progressive pipe dreams.
As Duffy’s interpretive rule advances through federal channels, one thing is certain: American car buyers are finally being heard. And for the first time in years, they’re celebrating.
