Trump’s Stance on Gas-Powered Cars
President Trump often highlights his achievements, and his efforts to save gas-powered vehicles should certainly be among them.
He’s attempting to put an end to the government’s aggressive drive against the internal combustion engine, which has significantly shaped our lives.
This push for electric cars has largely overlooked consumer preferences and has employed an overreaching executive approach.
The New York Times mentioned that Trump is “leveraging the federal government in support of gas-burning cars,” but in reality, he’s just removing federal support for electric vehicles.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has eliminated tax credits for electric vehicles and set penalties for automakers violating fuel efficiency rules to zero.
Right now, Trump is also trying to abolish the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standard, a regulation aimed at improving fuel efficiency and reducing dependency on foreign oil, introduced back in the 1970s.
Biden intended these standards to encourage automakers and consumers to promote electric cars vigorously.
Historically, CAFE standards have remained steady over time, though they spiked during the Obama administration. Biden then established a five-year plan aiming for cars to reach an average of 65.1 miles per gallon and light trucks 45.2 miles per gallon by 2031.
The question arises: why not aim for 75 or even 100 MPG?
The Biden administration dismissed the idea of outright banning gasoline cars, but their goal was to phase them out gradually.
Electric vehicles were projected to make up 67% of the market by 2032. It felt like a different era – during the third quarter of 2025, EV sales hit 10.5% of all cars sold, a record. But that was largely due to buyers rushing to benefit from soon-expiring tax incentives.
Yet, EV sales are anticipated to drop again.
In fact, electric vehicles account for less than 2% of the light vehicle market in the U.S., according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
By the time Biden’s presidency neared its end, several auto dealerships wrote to him, expressing concerns that EVs “aren’t selling quickly enough to reach dealerships,” despite significant price cuts and government incentives.
Ultimately, it’s become increasingly apparent that this push for electric vehicles is impractical, given current and projected consumer demand.
As independent journalist Robert Zubrin remarked, electric cars are very much a niche product.
The majority of buyers tend to be affluent individuals, particularly wealthy white men in progressive areas.
Zubrin noted that approximately 37% of all EVs were based in California in 2022.
For traditional automakers, EVs have largely been a financial burden.
Ford reportedly loses around $60,000 on each electric vehicle sold, and its EV division lost $4.7 billion in 2023 and $5.1 billion in 2024.
Moreover, Congress never intended for the executive branch to use CAFE standards to phase out conventional vehicles.
This regulation has had adverse consequences, such as hindering manufacturers from making smaller, more affordable cars.
It’s easier to meet these standards with larger vehicles, which has contributed to the decline of sedans and the rise of SUVs.
Supporters of strict CAFE regulations argue that without them, China would dominate the EV market.
However, that seems to be happening already, regardless of significant EV subsidies and increased CAFE standards.
Trump’s comeback indicates a shift away from climate alarms.
Believing that the rate of EV adoption will somehow either save or doom the planet has always seemed misguided.
There may come a time when EVs are both affordable and widely embraced, but Trump’s approach seems to advocate for market decisions rather than regulatory mandates.
