Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has slammed his Biden-era counterpart, Pete Buttigieg, for driving up vehicle prices and the latter's policies surrounding EVs.
Biden Let Vehicle Inflation Run Wild, Says Sean Duffy
In an opinion piece published by the Detroit Free Press on Monday, Duffy shared that the previous Biden administration had used policies to force people to purchase electric vehicles, adding that the administration allowed vehicle price inflation to "run wild," sharing that prices were up 20% in four years.
He also criticized the previous administration's "backdoor EV mandate," which, according to Duffy, cost automakers and employees billions of dollars. Duffy also shared that Americans were holding on to older cars because prices were high for newer vehicles. "The average age of a car on American roads is 13 years old," Duffy said.
Duffy Touts Affordability, Choice With New CAFE Standards
Talking about the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards rolled back by President Donald Trump, Duffy hailed it as a move that would enhance "customer choice and vehicle options" and drive down costs by $1,000 on a new car, as well as lead to more jobs and investments.
"This initiative is going to let the automakers build the innovative cars of the future that families want," Duffy said. The decision was hailed by Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) CEO Jim Farley, who reaffirmed investment in American-made cars following the relaxation of the CAFE norms.
He also shared that the policies forced automakers to make cars for maximum regulatory benefits, which came at the price of optionality and style, Duffy said. He added that the DOT's "Freedom Means Affordable Cars initiative is going to enhance safety on America's roadways," Duffy said, touting "anti-crash" technology, but did not elaborate on the matter.
Trump's Kei Car Approval, Gavin Newsom Slams CAFE Standards
The news comes as Trump recently approved regulations that would allow manufacturers to produce smaller cars, like the ‘Kei' car segment in Japan, in the U.S., citing cars made by companies like Toyota Motor Corp (NYSE:TM) and Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (NYSE:HMC) in Japan and South Korea, touting the vehicles as a "really cute" affordable option for consumers.
On the other hand, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) criticized the administration's decision to roll back CAFE norms, saying that the decision would result in China outpacing the U.S. in EVs and would result in average Americans paying more for fuel.
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