DW reports on the Trump administration's rollback of US fuel economy rules under the 'Freedom Means More Affordable Cars' initiative. The Department of Transportation claims consumers will save $138 billion over five years and new cars will cost about $1,300 less, but the analysis does not account for rising gas prices. The revised CAFE standards only require about 35 mpg by 2031, down from the 50 mpg target set in 2024. The weakened rules are expected to increase oil consumption and emissions. The earlier standards would have prevented more than 710 million metric tons of CO2 by 2050. Transportation accounts for nearly 28% of US greenhouse gas emissions, so the rollback makes near-term climate goals harder to reach. EV sales have also declined after the removal of the $7,500 tax credit, though analysts argue lower running costs will keep electrification on track.
