Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy isn't mincing words about his predecessor. In a pointed opinion piece published Monday in the Detroit Free Press, Duffy accused Pete Buttigieg and the Biden administration of using regulatory muscle to essentially force Americans toward electric vehicles, with painful consequences for their wallets.

The Price Tag of Policy

According to Duffy, the previous administration let vehicle price inflation "run wild," with costs jumping 20% over four years. He took particular issue with what he called a "backdoor EV mandate" that cost automakers and their employees billions of dollars while pushing consumers out of the new car market entirely.

The result? Americans are hanging onto their vehicles longer than ever. "The average age of a car on American roads is 13 years old," Duffy noted. That's not exactly a sign of a healthy auto market—people generally don't drive decade-old cars because they love that vintage charm.

Rolling Back Regulations

Enter President Donald Trump's rollback of Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, which Duffy champions as a win for affordability and consumer choice. He claims the move will slash $1,000 off the price of a new car while creating jobs and spurring investment.

"This initiative is going to let the automakers build the innovative cars of the future that families want," Duffy explained. The sentiment resonated with Ford Motor Co. (F) CEO Jim Farley, who welcomed the relaxed CAFE standards and reaffirmed his commitment to American-made vehicles.

Duffy argues the old policies forced manufacturers to design cars that checked regulatory boxes rather than giving consumers the style and options they actually wanted. He also touted the Department of Transportation's "Freedom Means Affordable Cars initiative" as a safety enhancer that will bring "anti-crash" technology to American roads, though he didn't provide specifics.

Kei Cars and Political Pushback

The regulatory changes come alongside Trump's recent approval of rules allowing manufacturers to produce smaller vehicles similar to Japan's "Kei" car segment. The president name-checked companies like Toyota Motor Corp (TM) and Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (HMC), describing these compact vehicles as "really cute" affordable options for American consumers.

Not everyone's celebrating, though. California Governor Gavin Newsom blasted the CAFE rollback, warning it would hand China a competitive advantage in the EV market while simultaneously hitting average Americans with higher fuel bills. The clash highlights the fundamental divide over whether relaxed emissions standards represent freedom of choice or a strategic misstep in the global race toward electrification.