U.S. automaker group calls for compromise with Biden on fuel economy rules

[February 02, 2021]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An auto industry trade group on Tuesday proposed to start talks with the Biden administration on revised fuel economy standards that would be higher than Trump-era standards but lower than ones set during the prior Democratic administration.

Cars travel north towards Los Angeles on interstate highway 5 in San Diego, California February 10, 2016. Picture taken February 10. REUTERS/Mike Blake

The Trump administration in March finalized a rollback of U.S. Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards to require 1.5% annual increases in efficiency through 2026, well below the 5% yearly boosts under the Obama administration rules it discarded.

The auto group representing General Motors Co, Toyota Motor Corp, Volkswagen AG, Honda Motor Co and others said a new nationwide emissions framework deal "should achieve improvements in GHG emissions roughly midway between current standards and those of the former Obama Administration, and balance environmental progress, safety, affordability, innovation, and jobs."

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

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