With midterm elections looming, the Trump administration is making a campaign pitch around car prices. The message: rolling back vehicle emissions regulations will put cheaper cars in driveways across America.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy led the charge over the weekend, emphasizing efforts to reduce car prices by removing emissions requirements, according to Reuters. He was joined at the Detroit Auto Show by EPA head Lee Zeldin and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, capping off a Midwestern tour that included visits to Ford Motor Co. (F) and Stellantis (STLA) factories.
Duffy framed the changes as giving consumers what they actually want, while keeping government from playing favorites. "This is not an attack on EVs," he said, "but rather a move to avoid government policy favoring EVs over combustion engines." The goal is straightforward: lower prices and more choices.
The timing matters because President Trump is facing economic headwinds as midterms approach, having promised voters he'd tackle rising consumer prices. Here's the challenge: the average new car hit a record $50,326 in December, according to Cox Automotive. The administration has already eliminated the $7,500 EV tax credit and revoked California's EV mandates, but prices remain stubbornly high.
Interestingly, U.S. vehicle sales actually increased 2.4% in 2025 despite all the policy shifts. Critics argue that removing EV incentives and slapping on tariffs will ultimately hurt consumers more than help them. Greer pushed back, noting that car prices are declining and tariffs aren't significantly impacting shoppers yet.
The administration's rollback of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards has won applause from industry players like Ford. CEO Jim Farley praised the move, emphasizing the company's commitment to affordable, American-made vehicles. The administration claims these changes will save Americans $109 billion overall.
There's also a technology angle here. Duffy is pushing for easier regulations on autonomous vehicles, and the administration has invested $33 million in automated vehicle and AI programs. The pitch is about keeping America at the forefront of transportation innovation, not just about rolling things back.
Not everyone's buying it, though. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has been vocal in his criticism, maintaining that EVs represent the future of mobility regardless of current policy preferences.
