Biden Admin. Pushing Car Fleet Fuel Efficiency Standards to 52 MPG
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To curb greenhouse emissions and slow down climate change, the Biden administration recently announced updated fuel economy regulations. The proposal aims for a fleet standard of 52 MPG by 2026. It starts with a 10 percent increase in fuel efficiency by 2023 and a 5 percent increase every year through 2026.
The Environmental Protection Agency says this proposal will “speed the transition of the light-duty vehicle fleet toward a zero-emissions future.” It builds upon an electric vehicle pact announced earlier this month between the Biden administration and the major car manufacturers.
This previous agreement strives to increase the number of electric vehicles sold in the US, with a goal that 50% of all new vehicle sales are electric.
The EPA claims these new policies will save hundreds of millions of gallons of oil. It also will reduce the amount of money drivers will be paying at the pump.
Critics of the plan admit that people will see their gasoline bill go down, but these naysayers believe the cost of car ownership will rise. Instead of paying for gas, car buyers will be paying more for a new vehicle as manufacturers pass the cost of developing this electric vehicle technology onto consumers.
How the Apple Car Fits Into This Mandate
For years, rumors suggested Apple is secretly working on an electric autonomous car to compete with the likes of Tesla. The Apple car project is allegedly led by Apple’s AI and machine learning chief John Giannandrea and Apple Watch lead Kevin Lynch.
The company’s first autonomous car is projected to debut in the next three to six years, claims Reuters. Noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple’s car will be based on Hyundai’s new E-GMP battery electric vehicle (BEV) platform. As such, it will be a high-end model powered 100 percent by battery without any assistance from a gasoline-powered combustion engine.
Its key feature will be its ability to drive with minimal input from the car’s occupant. More than just a dream or plans on paper, Apple has tested its self-driving vehicles on public roads in California. The company supposedly has more than 60 test vehicles in operation.
