Twenty-six states, led by West Virginia, filed a petition for judicial review against the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) recently finalized Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards for passenger cars and light trucks for model years 2027 and beyond, as well as fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans for model years 2030 and beyond.
Under the new regulations, starting with model years 2027-2031 for passenger cars and 2029-2031 for light trucks, fuel economy will increase by 2% annually, bringing the average light-duty vehicle fuel economy to approximately 50.4 miles per gallon by model year 2031, projected to save more than $600 in fuel over a vehicle's lifetime.
Fuel efficiency for heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans will increase by 10% annually for model years 2030-2032 and by 8% annually for model years 2033-2035. By model year 2035, these vehicles will average about 35 miles per gallon, projected to save owners more than $700 in fuel costs over their vehicle's lifetime.
The petition claims the new regulations, published in the Federal Register on June 24, "exceed the agency’s statutory authority and otherwise are arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and not in accordance with law."
The petitioning states include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.
The states argue the new CAFE standards, which aim to significantly increase fuel efficiency requirements, impose undue burdens on the automotive industry and overstep the legal bounds set for the NHTSA. "Petitioners thus ask that this Court declare unlawful and vacate the Deputy Administrator’s final action," the petition stated.
The NHTSA, led by Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman and U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, has defended the new standards as essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting energy independence.
Critics of the petition argue stringent fuel efficiency standards are critical for addressing climate change and reducing the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels. However, the petitioning states believe these standards should not come at the expense of economic stability and legal overreach.
The outcome of this legal challenge could have significant implications for future regulatory actions and the automotive industry's compliance landscape.
