Disclaimer: This post doesn’t suggest my political views, it is purely about articles I’ve read concerning Trump and Federal Regulations.
So now that President elect Donald Trump is the next man to sit in the Oval Office, the advocates for Electric Vehicles and the EPA should probably start shaking in their environmentally friendly boots. The Trump administraton might not have a policy on energy and emissions completely set in stone, but we might be looking at changes that will anger some and delight others. So, let’s just speak in hypotheticals and say that Trump will overhaul legislation that was imposed on the automotive industry during Obama’s presidency.
First of all, tax credits and penalties will probably be less damaging if not thrown out of the window. I understand that the impact of an electric vehicle, is far less than that of an internal combustion powered vehicle. However, does that justify getting $7500 in tax credits because you bought an energy efficient vehicle. Gas Guzzlers might not taxed as high and the automakers may not have to worry about fines because they had to make a eight passenger SUV achieve fuel economy comparable to a SMART ForTwo.
Another possibility is what I just mentioned, the stringent CAFE standards. I could go on and on about how much I despise CAFE standards, but that’s another post for another time. It has been rumored that under Trump’s administration, CAFE standards will be less stringent because that can hurt American jobs and the sort. I say…isn’t that obvious?
The more money that has to be put into advanced technology lessens the money that is available to pay wages, so certain jobs get repurposed or cut to compensate. More money equals, more jobs.
Expecting 54.5mpg for all passenger vehicles is extreme. I have a better chance at getting my one year old daughter to stop messing with everything on the living room table, than Chevy pulling 45mpg out of an Impala.
At the end of the day, the Trump administration may not change everything about the automotive industry, but certain key things will definitely give a boost. Some may not be big fans of the reduction of tax credits while others will love the fact that automakers might not completely stop producing performance vehicles. Either way it goes, if federal regulations are reviewed and in turn changed, the automotive industry may see changes that are well warranted and needed.