December 4, 2025
At a time when Americans are facing an affordability crisis, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing to roll back fuel efficiency standards that will force drivers to buy more gas and pay more at the pump. The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards have successfully increased the fuel efficiency of vehicles for 50 years, saving American families money on fuel, reducing pollution, and driving U.S. automaker leadership and innovation.
The administration claims this proposal will make new cars and trucks $1,000 cheaper, but it won’t deliver those savings. The average price paid for a new vehicle has reached a record $50,080, according to Kelley Blue Book. The factors driving up the cost of new vehicles are not efficiency standards; rather, record vehicle prices are driven by tariffs, the loss of the federal EV tax credit, and consumer preferences towards large trucks and SUVs, as well as luxury vehicles. The rollback of the CAFE standards will reduce clean vehicle options, instead burdening America’s drivers with more gas-guzzlers, more expensive trips to the gas station, and a greater reliance on oil and gas, when families are already struggling with the high cost of living.
Americans want better fuel economy because every extra gallon of gas burned is money taken out of household budgets. In addition to saving Americans $23 billion in fuel costs and reducing our national fuel consumption by 70 billion gallons through 2050, CAFE standards reduced pollution, which improves public health.
“We urge policymakers and members of Congress to carefully reconsider the implications of this guidance and speak out against it,” said Joel Levin, Plug In America’s executive director. “The proposed CAFE standards will set our country back decades, increase consumer costs, and increase pollution.”
About Plug In America
Plug In America is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the use of plug-in electric vehicles in the United States through education, advocacy and research. Formed in 2008, Plug In America provides practical, objective information to consumers and dealerships about EVs through various programs, including National Drive Electric Week, Drive Electric Earth Month, PlugStar.com, and other public outreach events. Learn more at PlugInAmerica.org.
Media contact: Lindsey Perkins
