By the SEMA Washington, D.C., office
SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola has submitted comments outlining
concerns about the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) proposed corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for passenger cars and light trucks for model years '27-'32. If finalized, NHTSA's proposal will force automakers to rapidly expand sales of electric vehicles (EVs) and reduce sales of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to avoid paying an estimated $14 billion in fines. The agency maintains that the proposal would align CAFE standards with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) proposed multi-pollutant standards, which SEMA strongly opposed earlier this year. SEMA opposes the Biden Administration's continued efforts to issue regulations that effectively mandate the production of EVs and limit consumer choice.
Click here to read SEMA's official comment to NHTSA.
Among other things, highlights of NHTSA's proposed fuel economy standards for model-years '27-'32 would require:
- A 2% per year improvement in fuel efficiency for cars and a 4% per year improvement for light trucks.
- Automakers to meet a 58 miles per gallon (mpg) average by 2032.
- A 10% improvement per year for commercial pickup trucks and work vans for model-years '30-'35.
"SEMA members want to continue to be part of the solution to making vehicles more efficient and reducing emissions," said Spagnola. "The best way to accomplish this goal is to let the market and innovation drive solutions to the environmental challenges we all seek to solve."
NHTSA is expected to finalize its CAFE rulemaking in early 2024. You can read more about SEMA's efforts to protect the interest of the specialty automotive aftermarket by visiting sema.org/advocacy/ice-bans.