Ford Urges Other Major Automakers To Back CA Emissions Framework Compromise
Last week, Ford Motor Company urged major automakers to back a deal struck last year with California to meet a 50 mpg fleetwide standard by 2026 for all vehicles sold nationwide.
Ford’s lobbying push comes as General Motors recently abandoned a legal battle between the Trump Administration and California over the state’s right to set its own standards for greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy rules.
The move signals a recognition by GM that its electrification and zero emissions strategy is more closely aligned with the priorities of the incoming Biden Administration.
Last year, GM, Fiat Chrysler, Toyota and 10 other automakers sided with the Trump Administration in a lawsuit filed by environmental groups challenging the Administration’s plans to roll back emissions and gas mileage standards and strip California’s authority to set its own emission standards.
Ford, Honda, BMW and Volkswagen sided with California and cut a separate deal with the state to meet a 50-mpg fleetwide standard by 2026 for all vehicles sold nationwide. In recent years, more than a dozen other states have signed on to California’s emissions standards for vehicles.
During the campaign, candidate Biden pledged to make major investments in electric vehicles and EV fueling infrastructure through federal financial support to automakers and expanded tax credits for consumers.
Now that Biden is president-elect, GM realized that continuing support for the Trump rollback is no longer a viable way forward.
