Donald Trump Invokes Henry Ford In Lower Emissions Automaker Rant
Donald Trump took to Twitter today to post about the Ford Motor Company’s agreement with the state of California to lower emission standards. The president did not appreciate what the company, along with three other large automakers, did, especially since his administration wants to relax federal regulations for cars.
“Henry Ford would be very disappointed if he saw his modern-day descendants wanting to build a much more expensive car, that is far less safe and doesn’t work as well, because execs don’t want to fight California regulators,” Trump tweeted.
He went on to write that the founders of the legendary company are “rolling over” because of the way the current executives are behaving. He also explained that the vehicles would be less safe and cost consumers $3,000 more.
According to a report from USA Today, the Trump administration wants to freeze fuel efficiency standards for light trucks and cars after 2020. The reason is that the vehicles will be not only safe but also cost less. However, several states and experts disagree that freezing standards would result in safer vehicles or lower prices. In fact, there’s a good chance consumer would save more if standards continue to tighten due to lower fuel costs.
The New York Times reported that Ford made a statement about the situation.
“This agreement with California provides regulatory stability while reducing CO2 more than complying with two different standards,” the American automaker said.
Trump Positively Name-Drops Henry Ford, is Promptly Schooled in Ford's Deep Anti-Semitism https://t.co/E3DoN5fBbW
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) August 22, 2019
In another tweet, the president called the car manufacturers politically correct and stated that his proposal would have little impact on the environment. In addition, Trump opined that the engines of the vehicles would run smoother.
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is reportedly eager to see the newest rules. The group claims to support increased standards, as well as efforts to optimize them with affordability and safety. So far, all major automakers have opposed the president’s plan to freeze standards after 2020.
The New York Times pointed out that Trump misstated, or exaggerated, the projected savings based on his administration’s proposal. It noted that consumers would save $1,850 on the cost of vehicles by 2030 and as much as $499 in financing fees and taxes. As for the president’s claim about smoother engines, the proposal does not include any information to support his claim.
Based on rules instituted during Barack Obama’s presidency, automakers must average a fleetwide 46.7 miles per gallon by 2025, but under Trump’s plan, that number is 37 miles per gallon, which automakers must achieve by 2026.
