BBS: TELESC.NET.BR
Assunto: What does this mean for EVs?
De: Mike Powell
Data: Sat, 14 Feb 2026 12:44:25 -0500
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What does this mean for EVs? 5 ways Trump's big climate policy reversal could
affect your next car purchase
By Leon Poultney published 20 hours ago
Could EVs actually benefit?
President Trump has announced a reversal of the 'endangerment finding'
This ruling found that greenhouse gases endanger public health
Trump promises cheaper cars, but it could increase the cost of living
President Trump has reversed a landmark ruling that found greenhouse gases
endanger public health, in a bid to lower car prices and ease the energy cost
burden on American households.
According to the New York Times, for over 17 years, the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) has relied on scientific findings to justify
regulations that limit carbon dioxide, methane, and other pollution from oil
and gas wells, tailpipes, smokestacks, and other sources that burn fossil
fuels.
Dubbed the 'endangerment finding', it was designed to reduce the effects of
climate change and protect the health of US citizens and, arguably, the
world's population.
But this isn't the view of President Trump's current administrator of the EPA,
Lee Zeldin. According to The Guardian, an emailed statement from a spokesperson
said the endangerment finding was used to "justify trillions of dollars of
greenhouse gas regulations covering new vehicles and engines".
The potential rollback of this policy is expected to increase the country's
greenhouse gas emissions by 10 per cent over the next 30 years, according to
the Environmental Defense Fund, an advocacy group. "We predict 58,000
premature deaths by 2055," Peter Zalzal, Attorney, Environmental Defense
Fund, told CNBC.
In addition to the potential effects on health and the global climate, the
automotive industry is expected to face an extended period of uncertainty. This
compounds the previous removal of federal tax credits for EVs, which saw sales
drop dramatically, as well as the numerous trade tariffs that President Trump
has imposed, making it almost financially impossible for some global automakers
to export to North America.
However, the Trump administration claimed ignoring the `endangerment
findings' would save auto manufacturers and other businesses an estimated $1
trillion, although it has declined to explain how it arrived at that estimate,
according to CNBC.
Fuel prices rise, innovation stalls
So what could the impacts be? First, removing emissions regulations could see
US carmakers cut their spending on innovation and fall back on polluting and
less efficient vehicles. According to some industry insiders, this would
actually see Americans spend more money on fuel to complete the daily commute.
This increase in demand would then see the cost of fuel rise, which could
increase the profits of the major oil companies by as much as $1.4 trillion,
according to Electrek.
At the same time, a reduction in incentives to innovate could see the US auto
industry slip even further behind in the race to develop more efficient and
environmentally friendly vehicles. This could massively benefit China, which is
already racing ahead in the development of next-gen battery and hybrid
technology.
Despite financially supporting the current administration, Elon Musk and his
company Tesla have been vocal about the endangerment finding, claiming that it
- and the vehicle emissions standards which flow from it - have provided a
"stable regulatory platform for Tesla's extensive investments in product
development and production", according to CNBC.
Currently, the company's sales have been stalling across the globe, with many
claiming its lack of innovation has caused it to fall behind rivals.
EV uptake actually increases
On the flip side, this landmark reversal of policy could, in fact, increase
demand for pure electric, hybrid, and generally more efficient vehicles, as US
citizens flock towards models that could help reduce the daily costs of travel.
What's more, States could step up and enact their own legislation that would
overrule President Trump's decision. California has been an advocate of
cleaner EV technology and the general reduction in greenhouse emissions on a
more local level.
Due to the extremely sensitive nature of the automotive industry, most
automakers build vehicles to the strictest emissions standards, rather than
risk making a production line overly complicated and expensive.
This could mean that those manufacturers based in the US would produce cars
based on the toughest standards in the strictest states.
Lastly, automakers work to extremely long product development timelines,
meaning this ruling isn't going to immediately halt whatever is in the
pipeline. Those EVs and hybrids that are due to hit the market in two or three
years are still likely do so.
"Even despite this, almost kind of this war on EVs - getting rid of the
subsidies, getting rid of the regulation - I think it's been pushed to a
point where you're not going to see us turn totally around on EVs," Alan
Jenn, a professor at the University of California, Davis's Electric Vehicle
Research Center told CNBC.
Regardless, the recent decision by the Trump administration will likely be met
with frustration by an industry that is currently going through arguably its
most significant transition in 100 years.
https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/hybrid-electric-vehicles/what-does-this-
mean-for-evs-5-ways-trumps-big-climate-policy-reversal-could-affect-your-next-c
ar-purchase
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* Origin: Capitol City Online (1:2320/105)
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