US Department of Transportation finalizes changes to fuel efficiency standards

<figure> <img alt="" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/gettyimages-2250207971.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> President Donald Trump announces plans to weaken fuel efficiency and emissions rules for cars and trucks in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on December 3rd, 2025. | Photo: Getty Images </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The US Department of Transportation finalized its plans on September 28, 2026, to weaken fuel efficiency standards, describing it as one of the largest deregulatory actions under the second Trump Administration.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The new standards replace the Biden-era regulations that aimed for a fleet average fuel economy of 50.4 miles per gallon by model year 2031. The Trump administration's plan sets the requirement at 34.9 miles per gallon, which is only slightly higher than the 30.1-mile-per-gallon target established for model year 2024.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>Consumer advocacy, health, and environmental groups have expressed strong opposition to the changes.</p></blockquote></figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Trump administration asserts that the new plan would reduce the average cost of a new vehicle by $1,300.</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/1001610/trump-weakens-fuel-efficiency-standards">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>