What happens when the government eases up on rules aimed at cutting car pollution?
A new proposal from the Trump administration is raising that question — and sparking debate about what it could mean for drivers. At the center of the plan is an effort to roll back a bedrock scientific finding that gives the Environmental Protection Agency authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and other major sources.
Experts say the move could have real impacts beyond Washington, potentially raising fuel costs and limiting cleaner vehicle options for Americans behind the wheel. Here’s a look at what’s changing — and how it might affect you.
What rule is the Trump administration rolling back?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to revoke the “endangerment finding” — a key scientific determination made in 2009 that allows the federal government to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. The finding concluded that emissions like carbon dioxide pose a threat to human health by contributing to climate change, and it has served as the legal foundation for federal climate policy for over a decade. Rolling it back would significantly weaken the government’s ability to regulate major sources of pollution — especially in the transportation sector, the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.
“The Trump EPA is now offering a free pass to pollute,” says Kathy Harris, who leads the Natural Resources Defense Council’s work on clean vehicle policies and programs.
One of the clearest examples of what’s at stake can be seen in the EPA’s tailpipe standards, which limit how much pollution a vehicle can emit. “Tailpipe pollution is one of the largest sources of harmful pollution in our daily lives,” says Vickie Patton, general counsel at the Environmental Defense Fund. “In fact, it’s the single biggest contributor to climate-disrupting emissions — intensifying flooding, fires, heat waves, and driving up insurance costs across the board.”
There are also federal rules known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, which set fuel-efficiency targets for automakers. On top of that, some states — most notably California — have adopted stricter rules, including zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandates that require automakers to sell more vehicles with no tailpipe emissions, like electric or hydrogen-powered cars. California was the first state to regulate vehicle emissions, and thanks to the Clean Air Act, it has special authority to set its own standards. Section 209 of the law lets California request a waiver from the EPA to enforce those tougher rules.
That framework has paved the way for multistate efforts like the Affordable Clean Cars Coalition — a group of 11 states, including Colorado and New York, working to promote cleaner vehicles, support U.S. manufacturing, and uphold state clean-air standards.
According to Patton, these layered standards have played a major role in driving the auto industry toward cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles — until now.
“Just a couple of months ago,” she notes, “Congress made an unprecedented and illegal move by using the Congressional Review Act to strip California of its authority to set or enforce regulations that were more stringent than the federal government’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
What will a rollback mean for your wallet?
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has championed the proposal, saying it would lift restrictions on emissions from tailpipes, power plants, and smokestacks — and save companies $52 billion in compliance costs.
But critics warn those savings may come at a cost to consumers. Here are the biggest ones.
Higher fuel costs
An analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) projects that the rollback could raise gas prices by as much as 75 cents per gallon by 2050. With the national average for regular gas already at $3.17, further increases are an intimidating prospect for many households.
So what do gas prices have to do with rolling back emissions standards? According to Patton, quite a bit. She says the rollback would lead to fewer fuel-efficient cars on the market, driving up gasoline consumption — and prices.
“Every person, every family who wants to choose a vehicle that doesn’t consume large volumes of fuel will have many fewer choices,” Patton says. That means higher fuel bills for drivers. “If you have a vehicle that’s cleaner, that’s more fuel efficient, you save hundreds and hundreds of dollars every year… at the fuel pump.” But those savings are at risk. “All of those opportunities to save hard-earned money are being turned upside down by the reckless decisions of EPA head Lee Zeldin,” Patton tells us.
Critics say that rollback doesn’t just affect today’s drivers — it could also delay the shift to more affordable electric vehicles in the years ahead.
Slower EV adoption could mean missed savings
Experts say weakening clean car standards could slow the rollout of affordable electric vehicles — and that could have long-term consequences for consumers. Harris notes that since about 75 percent of Americans buy used cars, any delay in bringing cleaner vehicles to market also delays when they’ll show up on used lots.
“Delaying cleaner vehicles means it will take longer for them to reach the used market and deliver benefits to everyday consumers,” she says.
And demand is already growing. In 2024 alone, Americans bought more than 1.5 million electric vehicles — making up 10 percent of all new passenger vehicle sales nationwide.
While critics often argue that clean car rules make new vehicles more expensive, Patton points out that automakers like Ford and GM are already moving toward more affordable EVs. Ford is expected to unveil a low-cost electric platform on Aug. 11, and GM is investing in lower-cost battery production, with plans to scale up by 2027.
Patton adds that as the technology improves, EVs are only expected to get cheaper. But even now, she says, they offer long-term savings. “When you add it all up, you’re getting a vehicle that’s not only competitively priced upfront, but also saves you money month after month on fuel,” she says.
That promise of savings was a key part of the Biden administration’s 2027 vehicle standards, which were finalized before President Trump returned to office last year. At the time, the EPA projected the rules would save drivers about $6,000 over the lifetime of a new car, adding up to $46 billion in annual fuel savings and $16 billion in maintenance savings between 2027 and 2055. But those projections were based on policies that may no longer stand. The Trump administration has proposed rolling back key parts of the standards — a move that could erase or significantly reduce those savings. It’s still unclear which portions of the Biden-era rules might survive, or how much of the projected benefits will ultimately reach consumers.
Now, this uncertainty is playing out at a critical moment. Even as the auto industry moves toward cleaner and more affordable cars, the policies that helped pave the way are now under threat. The outcome could reshape both the vehicles we drive and the costs we carry for years to come.
What’s next?
During an appearance on CNN, Zeldin stressed that the agency hasn’t made any final decisions and will open a comment period to gather input from the public.
“We’re going through a public comment period. We want to make the right decision afterward,” he told the network.
The EPA has scheduled a virtual hearing for Aug. 19 to discuss the proposed reconsideration of the rule — and experts say there’s still time to register and speak up.
“It’s important for the American people to be heard and take part in the conversation on these issues,” says Patton. “There are meaningful opportunities to submit comments and share perspectives at public hearings — and every voice matters.”
