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Trump renews push against electric vehicle policies
President says consumers should choose between electric and gasoline-powered vehicles.
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IANS - Tue, 28, Jul 2026
- 06:19 EDT
- 16
President Trump / White House
President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of electric vehicle policies during a visit to General Motors' Milford Proving Ground in Michigan, saying consumers should be free to choose between electric and internal combustion vehicles while defending his administration's rollback of Biden-era emissions and fuel-efficiency policies.
Speaking to auto workers on July 28, Trump said his administration had ended what he described as former President Joe Biden's electric vehicle mandate, arguing it would have harmed the US automobile industry.
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"On day one, I ended Biden's insane electric vehicle mandate that would have crushed the US auto industry forever," Trump said.
Trump argued that electric vehicles require fewer workers to manufacture than gasoline-powered vehicles, raising concerns about employment in states such as Michigan, where the auto industry remains a major employer.
"And I don't want to say this in front of Mary, because she'll change your mind, but it takes far fewer people to build an electric car," Trump said, referring to General Motors Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra.
"That doesn't mean they work better, but it takes less. And if you want an electric car, they make electric cars, too. But if you want to buy a combustion, if you want to buy anything you want, they make," he added.
The president also said he had eliminated the Biden administration's Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, which set fuel-efficiency requirements for automakers.
"I terminated Biden's disastrous CAFE Fuel Standards," Trump said.
"That was a short road to bankruptcy for every single car company in this country, and a total disaster that would have killed the internal combustion engine."
"As long as I'm president, that will never happen," he added.
Trump linked the policy changes to his broader trade agenda, highlighting the administration's 25 percent tariff on imported automobiles and trucks while promoting domestic manufacturing.
He praised General Motors for expanding production in the United States, saying the company had increased truck and sport utility vehicle output by 20 percent in 2026 and invested $9 billion over two years in bringing manufacturing operations back to the country.
"They're coming back home because, frankly, when they build here, there's no tariff," Trump said.
The president also promoted a tax deduction on interest paid for auto loans, saying it would apply only to vehicles manufactured in the United States.
The Biden administration had pursued stricter emissions and fuel-efficiency standards to encourage the sale of electric and other low-emission vehicles. While those rules did not require all new vehicles to be electric, they were intended to increase the share of cleaner vehicles sold in the US market.
Changes to US electric vehicle policy are closely watched by global automakers and suppliers, including companies operating in India, as they influence investment decisions related to manufacturing, battery production, emissions compliance and access to the US market.
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