BMW, Ford, Volkswagen and Honda will not take a position on legal challenges to the Trump administration’s decision to weaken fuel economy standards introduced while Barack Obama was president.
The Trump administration recently finalized the rollback of U.S. vehicle emissions standards. Under the Obama administration, car manufacturers were required to make 5 per cent increases in efficiency across their models through 2026, but now, these required efficiency improvements have been reduced to 1.5 per cent annually.
Read More: 23 States Sue Trump Administration Over Lower Fuel Economy Standards
Auto News reports that on Monday, BMW, Ford, Volkswagen and Honda will ask a U.S. Appeals Court in Washington for permission to be heard in a court challenge over the new regulations “to ensure that any remedy imposed by this court is both appropriate and achievable.” The four automakers finalized a voluntary agreement with California in July 2019 on vehicle emissions rules.
In a statement issued on Friday, Volkswagen said its “preference continues to be one set of national standards that’s achieved through an agreement between the federal government and California.”
A group of 23 U.S. states, including California has challenged the Trump vehicle rule and while some automakers are taking a neutral stance on the regulation changes, others are supporting the move. For example, General Motors, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Toyota have sided with the Trump administration on the rollback.
These automakers have also sided with the government in a separate lawsuit to determine if the federal government can strip California of the ability to set its own zero-emission vehicle requirements.
