Former EPA Admin Andrew Wheeler on New Auto Standards | EarthxNews | EarthX - video Dailymotion

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EarthX Website: https://earthxmedia.com/   Former EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler speaks to EarthxNews about the third call for stricter auto efficiency standards in recent months.   About EarthxNews:  A weekly program dedicated to covering the stories that shape the planet. Featuring the latest updates in energy, environment, tech, climate, and more.    EarthX  Love Our Planet.  The Official Network of Earth Day.    About Us:  At EarthX, we believe our planet is a pretty special place. The people, landscapes, and critters are likely unique to the entire universe, so we consider ourselves lucky to be here. We are committed to protecting the environment by inspiring conservation and sustainability, and our programming along with our range of expert hosts support this mission. We’re glad you’re with us.     EarthX is a media company dedicated to inspiring people to care about the planet. We take an omni channel approach to reach audiences of every age through its robust 24/7 linear channel distributed across cable and FAST outlets, along with dynamic, solution oriented short form content on social and digital platforms. EarthX is home to original series, documentaries and snackable content that offer sustainable solutions to environmental challenges. EarthX is the only network that delivers entertaining and inspiring topics that impact and inspire our lives on climate and sustainability.       EarthX Website: https://earthxmedia.com/    Follow Us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earthxtv/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/earthxtv  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/earthxtv      How to watch:   United States:   - Spectrum  - AT&T U-verse (1267)  - DIRECTV (267)  - Philo  - FuboTV  - Plex   #EarthDay #Environment #Sustainability #Eco-friendly #Conservation #EarthxTV #EarthX

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00:00The U.S. government announces higher gas mileage requirements under the latest federal rules

00:07issued in June.

00:09The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it would like to hike corporate average

00:14fuel economy requirements to about 50.4 miles per gallon by 2031.

00:20That's up from 39.1 miles per gallon currently.

00:24The new fuel mileage requirement is barely above the 49 miles per gallon it previously

00:29required for 2026 and is among several regulations the administration is using to push carmakers

00:37to focus on producing EVs.

00:39In April, the Environmental Protection Agency issued strict new limits on tailpipe emissions

00:45to ensure the majority of new passenger cars and light trucks sold in the United States

00:50are either all-electric or hybrids in the next eight years.

00:55Joining us now to discuss is former EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler.

00:59Andrew, thank you so much for coming on today.

01:02We appreciate having you.

01:04It's great to be on.

01:05Thank you for having me.

01:06So, the White House has stressed that its desire to push Americans towards EVs and it's

01:11instituted some regulatory goals to help aim that progress.

01:14Recently, there's been a little bit of some blowback from customers and even auto manufacturers.

01:20Can you explain this for us?

01:23Sure.

01:23So, this is the third regulation as part of the EV or auto cafe standards in the last

01:31few months from three different agencies, EPA, Department of Energy, and now we're hearing

01:36from the Department of Transportation.

01:38All of this taken together, though, is pushing EVs on the American consumer.

01:44And I believe the EPA's estimate of around 67 percent, two-thirds, will have to be EVs

01:51or hybrids by 2032 is still the overall number that will have to be met.

01:59What are some of the benefits that it could have to the environment?

02:01Well, there could be a lot of benefits and I'm a supporter of EVs, but the administration,

02:07they haven't explained how we're going to get there.

02:10And there's been a number of officials from the administration who've testified in Congress

02:14and they haven't been able to explain how we're going to get there, how we're going

02:17to be able to generate the energy that we need.

02:20So let's talk a little bit about gas-powered cars, light trucks.

02:23The original goals put forth by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration were

02:27to be at 55 miles per gallon by 2026.

02:31They recently revised those goals down to about 49 miles per gallon.

02:35Do you know why the change?

02:38I don't know for sure the change.

02:39The auto companies have publicly said that they cannot go with the more stringent requirements.

02:48And what happens when you have the more stringent requirements under the DOT regs is if you

02:52don't meet those, then the auto companies have to pay very large fines or penalties

02:58to the federal government.

02:59And we're talking billions of dollars.

03:01So what the auto industry said was if you're going to stick with these more stringent requirements,

03:09we're going to be using all of our available cash to pay these penalties instead of investing

03:13in new EV cars and new EV technologies.

03:17So it was a plea that they made to the administration publicly through a number of media sources

03:23and interviews where they said that their money would be better spent investing in new

03:27technologies than paying penalties.

03:29But you also have to remember, if they're paying those penalties, so it was a question

03:34of the penalty aspect.

03:36And Detroit successfully argued to this administration that instead of paying the penalties, lower

03:42the standard and we use the funds in order to innovate more.

03:47How do you think that the consumers might view these new standards?

03:51Well, I mean, if somebody says, if you ask somebody in a poll walking down the street,

04:00do you think cars should be cleaner than they are now?

04:04Everybody's going to say yes.

04:05I'm going to say yes.

04:06Everybody's going to say yes.

04:08But when they go to buy and purchase the vehicles, that's where they're making their decision.

04:13And that's actually the information that basically voting by purchase.

04:19And last year, one million EV cars were sold, highest level ever.

04:25But that's one million out of 16 million EV cars stay on a lot on the lots.

04:32On average, 130 days, I believe, as of last year to two gas powered cars staying on lots

04:3870 to 80 days.

04:40So American consumer is not purchasing the EV cars as quickly as the Biden administration

04:46would like them to.

04:48The NHTSA regulation for the 50 miles per gallon, that's the fleet average.

04:53That means that if an auto company is selling regular gas powered cars and EVs, they're

04:59going to price the EVs lower and they're going to raise the price of the gasoline

05:03powered cars in order to hit that average.

05:06This is not that every single car has to be a 50 miles per gallon.

05:10This is an average for all the cars that each company sells.

05:14And what Detroit does, what the auto companies do, is they raise and lower the prices to

05:19incentivize purchasing an EV or to disincentivize purchasing a gas powered car so that fewer

05:27of those will be sold.

05:28So do you think then we've seen maybe the end of these mile per gallon changes?

05:33And then also, do you think there's a future for gasoline powered vehicles in the U.S.?

05:38I think there's absolutely a future because we are going to be able to generate the electricity

05:43that we need for two thirds of our fleet to be EVs by 2032.

05:48So I would say we're going to be needing gasoline powered cars for at least another generation

05:53until either the technology improves or the infrastructure is greatly expanded.

05:59All right.

06:00Andrew Wheeler, thank you so much for coming on, for sharing your expertise.

06:03Absolutely.

06:04Thank you for having me.

Former EPA Admin Andrew Wheeler on New Auto Standards | EarthxNews | EarthX

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