The Environmental Protection Agency proposed a series of regulations in 2023 to curb pollution from tailpipes. These regulations could go into effect and start impacting consumers in 2027.
The new law, if it does go into effect, would apply only to new vehicle purchases beginning in 2027. However, for those vehicles, it would impose the most stringent regulations yet on tailpipe pollution.
Manufacturers would be allowed to meet those regulations by any means they wish — but one of the simplest and most straightforward ways would be by manufacturing more electric vehicles, which create zero tailpipe pollution.
"While manufacturers are not obligated by the proposed regulation to manufacture electric vehicles (EVs), it is anticipated that producing and selling EVs will be a cost-effective strategy for complying with the revised tailpipe emission limits," CleanTechnica wrote. "Therefore, the proposed EPA rules are expected to increase EV sales."
The EPA has also released its projections for how the new regulations would impact EV production and sales. According to those projections, by 2032, EVs could account for 67% of all new light-duty vehicle sales, 46% of medium-duty new vehicle sales, and 34% of heavy-duty cab tractor sales.
The long-term impact of the new regulations would affect not only drivers, as it would mean less air pollution and planet-overheating gases entering the atmosphere. One recent study from the University of Southern California found that "for every additional 20 [zero-pollution vehicles] per 1,000 people, there was a 3.2% drop in the rate of asthma-related emergency visits." Essentially, the more EVs replace gas-powered cars, the better the air we breathe.
"These regulations are great but may be at stake, because the entire Republican party has a plan to remove ALL climate regulations … if any republican gets elected in 2024," wrote one concerned commenter. This concern is not without merit, as the last Republican presidential administration rolled back more than 100 environmental regulations.
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