President Donald Trump is expected to roll back fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks set by the Biden administration during an announcement at the White House on Dec. 3, making it easier for automakers to sell gas-powered vehicles.

Signed into law in 1975, the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards regulate how far vehicles must travel on a gallon of fuel. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is expected to propose reducing the fuel economy requirements from model years 2022 to 2031, a move that will save Americans $109 billion, a White House official told USA TODAY.

"Joe Biden's fuel efficiency regulations would have raised the cost of a new vehicle by $1,000," the White House said in a post on X. "PRESIDENT TRUMP IS HITTING RESET- saving Americans $109 BILLION!"

The Biden standards would have compelled widespread shifts to electric vehicles that American consumers did not ask for, accompanied by significant cost-of-living increases, the official said.

Executives from the three largest automakers, Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis (parent company of Chrysler) were expected at the White House for the announcement.

What were the Biden administration's fuel economy standards?

The Biden administration in 2022 announced new standards which required an industry-wide fleet average of approximately 49 miles per gallon for passenger cars and light trucks in model year 2026.

The new standards, the Department of Transportation said in 2022, would increase fuel efficiency 8% annually for model years 2024-2025 and 10% annually for model year 2026. That would also have increased the estimated fleetwide average by nearly 10 miles per gallon for model year 2026, compared to model year 2021.

In June 2024, the Biden administration announced that fuel economy will increase 2% per year for model years 2027-2031 for passenger cars, while light trucks will increase 2% per year for model years 2029-2031. The increases would have brought fuel economy up to approximately 50.4 miles per gallon by model year 2031. That would have saved passenger car and light truck owners more than $600 in fuel over the lifetime of their vehicles, the Biden administration said.

What are the new fuel standards under Trump?

The Biden standards would have compelled widespread shifts to electric vehicles that American consumers did not ask for, accompanied by significant cost-of-living increases, the White House official said.

The fuel economy requirements for 2022-2031 model-year vehicles are expected to be significantly reduced – though it was unclear how much it would be reduced by. Earlier this year, Trump signed legislation that ended fuel economy penalties for automakers, and NHTSA said they faced no fines dating back to the 2022 model year.

Trump has taken a series of steps to make it easier for automakers to sell gasoline-powered vehicles and disincentivize EV production, including rescinding EV tax credits and barring California from banning the sale of traditional gas-powered vehicles after 2035. In June, Trump signed three Congressional Review Act resolutions that rescinded California’s electric vehicles sales mandates and diesel engine rules.

Automakers and critics react to new standards

Ford CEO Jim Farley praised Trump in a statement ahead of the event for "aligning fuel economy standards with market realities. We can make real progress on carbon emissions and energy efficiency while still giving customers choice and affordability."

GM CEO Mary Barra noted at an event on Dec. 2 that before Congress blocked California's zero-emission vehicle rules in June, the auto sector was facing requirements in some states that 35% of new vehicles sold in 2026 must be EVs.

"We were going to have to start shutting down plants because we weren't going to be able to build and sell those vehicles," Barra said.

Darien Davis, an advocate for clean energy for the League of Conservation Voters, said in a statement that "slashing fuel economy standards will increase costs for drivers and threaten the progress made in reducing dangerous air pollution and preventing adverse health outcomes."

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump to roll back Biden-era fuel efficiency standards for vehicles

Reporting by Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect