The US Department of Transportation finalized a rule weakening vehicle fuel efficiency standards, undoing Biden-era targets and marking what the department called one of the largest deregulatory actions of the second Trump administration, according to The Verge.
The US Department of Transportation finalized its plans to weaken fuel efficiency standards, according to The Verge, which reported the department described the move as “among the largest deregulatory actions under the second Trump Administration.”
The action reverses Biden-era standards that would have required fleet average fuel economy to reach 50.4 miles per gallon by model year 2031. The Verge characterised the finalized rule as “a nail in the coffin” for those earlier targets.
The report was published by The Verge on September 28, 2026, detailing the department’s decision to roll back the stricter requirements that had been put in place under the previous administration.
Fuel economy standards set targets for how far vehicles must travel on a gallon of fuel, measured as a fleet-wide average across automakers.
By finalizing the weaker standards, the Trump administration is easing regulatory requirements on automakers, a step the Department of Transportation framed as part of its broader deregulatory agenda, The Verge reported.
Why it matters
Fuel efficiency standards influence how much fuel drivers use, what vehicles automakers build, and the volume of emissions from the transportation sector. Weakening these standards could affect consumer costs at the pump and the pace of efforts to reduce vehicle emissions.
Frequently asked questions
What did the Trump administration finalize?
The US Department of Transportation finalized a rule weakening vehicle fuel efficiency standards, which the department called among the largest deregulatory actions of the second Trump administration, according to The Verge.
What standard was rolled back?
The rule ends Biden-era standards that would have required fleet average fuel economy to reach 50.4 miles per gallon by model year 2031.
When was the rule finalized?
The Verge reported the rule was finalized on September 28, 2026.