Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman speaks during an event in Fancy Farm, Kentucky, on Aug. 5, 2023. (Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
In a joint announcement with the White House last month, the EPA issued the regulations, which are the most aggressive multipollutant emission standards ever finalized. Those standards were officially published Thursday, opening the door to legal challenges and congressional resolutions.
While the regulations target gas-powered vehicles, they are explicitly designed to push a wider, nationwide adoption of EVs and, to a lesser extent, hybrid cars. President Biden said after the rules were finalized, they would help ensure the U.S. meets his goal of EVs accounting for 50% of all new car sales in 2030.
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Under the standards, automakers will be forced to rapidly curb the emissions of greenhouse gases, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter from new passenger cars, light trucks, and larger pickups and vans beginning in two years with model year 2027 vehicles. The EPA said the rules will help "tackle the climate crisis" by reducing the transportation sector's carbon dioxide emissions.
Even factoring in generous federal and state subsidies, the average cost of an EV is about $52,500, according to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, while the average gas subcompact car costs $24,000. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)
The EPA's regulations have been heavily criticized by state officials, Republican and Democratic lawmakers, agriculture industry groups like the National Corn Growers Association and energy associations, such as the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers and the American Petroleum Institute.
In 2023, 9.5% of new, light-duty vehicle sales were EVs, up from 7% in 2022 and 4.3% in 2021, according to data from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, an industry group that represents major automakers. At the same time, EVs remain more expensive than traditional, gas-powered cars.
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Additionaly, the share of Americans who said they are considering an EV purchase has declined from 55% to 44% year-over-year, according to a Gallup poll conducted in March.
Calls placed to the EPA seeking comment were not immediately returned.
Thomas Catenacci is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
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