A HOST of major changes could hit drivers in the wallet – as an expert warns of price hikes.
Policy changes set to be brought in by the new Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, could see potential financial and environmental impacts on car users across the country.
GettyA string of new changes could hit drivers in the wallet and add add further to the issues around climate change and air pollution[/caption] GettyThe new Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, could bring in potential financial and environmental impacts on drivers across the country[/caption] GettyCritics say these changes could result in higher fuel costs for consumers[/caption]The main focus in a recent report from the Associated Press is Duffy’s rollback of Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards.
Historically, these have required automakers to improve vehicle fuel efficiency, as well as reduce fuel consumption, thus saving consumers money at the pump, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Duffy’s rollback aligns with President Trump’s agenda to prioritise oil production and biofuels – while reducing regulations on the automotive industry.
But some critics argue that loosening these standards will lead to higher fuel costs for consumers.
Simply put; vehicles with lower fuel efficiency will require more fuel to operate.
What’s more, the rollback is expected to increase tailpipe emissions, adding further to the issues around climate change and air pollution.
Experts, such as Dan Becker from the Center for Biological Diversity, warn that these changes will also greatly benefit oil executives and leave the average American consumer, as well as carmakers, at a disadvantage in the global transition to electric vehicles.
He said: “This will raise consumers’ costs at the pump, increase tailpipe pollution and jeopardize US automakers’ future, and no one voted for any of it.
“The only beneficiaries will be oil executives and China’s auto industry, which will be happy to sell electric vehicles around the world with little US competition.”
This comes as Americans trying to purchase a new car could be hit with junk fees – after a law protecting buyers was reversed.
The fees usually include add-ons that aren’t always necessary.
The Federal Trade Commission proposed a law that cracked down on junk fees in 2022.
Then, in January 2024, the FTC passed the Combating Auto Retail Scams Rule to increase transparency between car dealerships and first-time buyers.
Essentially, it made drivers aware of exactly what they were paying for before being charged at the dealership.
But now, a dealer group in Texas opposed the law and took it to court along with the National Automobile Dealers Association.
Elsewhere, General Motors CEO Mary Barra has admitted that price hikes caused by Trump’s proposed tariffs could derail the automaker’s big plans.
Barra warned GM customers of “uncertainty” after speaking about last year’s positive growth for the company in a letter to shareholders on Tuesday.
The auto giant reported record profits for 2024 and shared optimism for the new year – but Barra also confessed worries about the new president’s policies.
Trump wants to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, which provide parts to GM’s US plants, starting on February 1.
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