Senior figures in the Trump administration spent the weekend promoting their drive to reduce vehicle prices by scrapping a range of emissions regulations, arguing that affordability remains a pressing issue for American motorists.
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy, Environmental Protection Agency chief Lee Zeldin, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer visited the Detroit Auto Show as part of a two-day tour of the Midwest, which also included stops at a Ford pickup plant and a Stellantis Jeep factory in Ohio. The trio highlighted the administration’s rapid rollback of electric vehicle (EV) rules introduced under former President Joe Biden.
Duffy insisted that loosening the regulatory burden “will bring car prices down and allow manufacturers to offer models that people genuinely want to buy.” He stressed that the administration was “not waging a war on EVs,” but rather pushing back against policies that encouraged electric cars while disadvantaging traditional combustion engines.
President Donald Trump faces continued economic pressures a year into his term, particularly as he prepares for the upcoming midterm elections. Concerns over rising living costs formed a major part of his election platform.
Average new vehicle prices hit a record R830,379 ($50,326) in December, according to market research firm Cox Automotive, driven largely by strong demand for high-end SUVs and pickup trucks. At the same time, fewer budget-friendly options are reaching the market.
Trump has already abolished the R123,750 ($7,500) federal EV tax credit, overturned California’s state-level EV mandates, and removed penalties for failing to meet fuel-efficiency targets. Zeldin argued that government should not “force the market in a direction the public is not choosing.”
Automakers are also contending with Trump-era import tariffs on vehicles and parts. Nonetheless, U.S. new car sales increased 2.4% in 2025 to 16.2 million units. Administration officials claim current tariffs have had minimal direct impact on consumer prices.
Environmental groups strongly disagree. Kathy Harris of the NRDC warned that weakened emissions standards would allow the oil industry to profit at the expense of households already struggling with fuel costs.
In December, the Department of Transportation proposed reversing Biden-era fuel-efficiency rules aimed at pushing manufacturers towards greater EV production. The USDOT estimates the changes may lower up-front vehicle costs by R15,345 ($930) but could increase national fuel use by 100 billion gallons by 2050, adding as much as R3.05 trillion ($185 billion) to consumer fuel spending.
